


Elena of Silver Valley

by Lenaa412



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Fantasy, Fighting, Gen, Love, Magic, Training, air, air magic, mountain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 26,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22576402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lenaa412/pseuds/Lenaa412





	1. Chapter 1

I have finally found their camp, though it looked more like a ... training centre. I hid in the shadows of the trees and bushes nearby and were watching them, waiting for the right time to strike. I mostly saw men, but there were a few women scattered too, in regular clothes or in uniform.

There was a gate nearby, then a training field to the left, fenced, similarly to the one encircling the area, just not that tall; and buildings to the right, probably where they lived. The whole place was surrounded by a three-metre tall fence made from wood logs and spiked on top. There were no watchers by the gate or stationed anywhere along the fence, and that was fortunate, but that didn’t mean that there was no one watching.

I planned to wait until sundown when everyone was starting to finish up whatever they were doing. They would not see me coming, not just because it would be a time when it’s not dark yet, but it’s dim enough that you start to think you imagine the moving shadows.

There was still about an hour left, but they have already started to gather up their equipment and started to put them away. Big shouting came from the left, from within the buildings, but it was a false alarm; the men were having a good time. _Well, not for long._ Since they were packing up, this was the best time to strike because they won’t have any weapons on them., making them an easy target. _Just how they made my village an easy target by._

Someone was approaching the gate, and I pulled back deeper into the bushes.

He opened it and stepped outside, and five more men followed. _Shoot, they have a night watch?_ They were all armed with different weapons, and were in uniform, ready for anything. The one in the middle pointed to five different directions, giving each of them an area to watch. The man himself walked ahead and would walk right past me if he continues, but he stopped about ten metres from me.

I was calculating how I would get past them, but I was running out of time. Lights started to appear in the houses, and only a few of them were outside now. But it didn’t matter how many of them were out or in homes, tonight, all of them are going to die.

I pulled one of my knives out and aimed at the man standing nearby. When he dropped dead on the ground, I held my position for a moment to see if the others would come to help. When no one and nothing moved, I headed left to take the two standing there out. This would be trickier, and I had to be quick because if I kill one, the other would probably shout for help. Luckily, I had no such thing as a dominant side, so I palmed a knife each in my hands and threw them, meeting their targets precisely where I wanted them to be.

Again, when no one came, I retrieved my knives – I’d need it later –, and headed back right to the gate, and took care of the man standing there, then proceeded to the gate. I thought about taking their uniforms, but I would lose time I didn’t have. So, I opened the gate just enough, so I can fit through and hide behind the wooden boxes nearby. I had my five knives, two swords and my spear to use against them, and they only had themselves. I think I had the upper hand.

“Hey!” I heard someone shout from my left, just as I stood up to proceed to the training field. I looked at him, he was one of the men from the nearby huts, because the door was open behind him. He had his sword in his hand, and after rolling my eyes, I gifted him a knife between his eyes.

“Too slow,” I said when I hid his body behind the nearest hut and took my knife back. I looked at him and shook my head, then looked out from behind the hut. If they were all like this, I would have a wonderful and quick time here, and maybe be back home before sunup.

When I saw no one out, I ran to the little gat to the training field, and just about, before someone walked past in front of my hiding place. I stepped out and pushed her to the fence a knife to their throat.

“Don’t kill me. I’m pregnant!” She said, voice breaking. I looked down and saw her bump sticking out from under her shirt. My hands shook, seriously thinking about not obeying her, but I stepped back. I wasn’t like the men who attacked my village, and I didn’t kill innocent pregnant women and newborns.

“I’m not here. Scream and I don’t care if you are carrying the Lord’s child or not.” I pointed my knife at her throat.

“What do you want?” She asked, shaking with fear.

“Revenge on the men who slaughtered women like you in my village,” I said and nodded to the gate, and she scurried away. I sincerely hoped that she had at least little sense and obeyed me, but I needed to be quick now.

I saw no one else on the training field, but it linked with the huts in the back, so I headed that way. I saw a torch and lifting my hand, I encircled the fire and moved it over to the huts, spreading it on their roofs. It quickly caught it, and in seconds, and with a little help from my wind, half of the huts were torched. I retreated, and fast because they will soon be out, trying to distinguish the fire.

I hid behind the gate of the training field and watched them run around shouting orders to each other and carrying empty buckets to the well and water tanks. In the chaos, I knew they wouldn’t see or care about someone hurrying towards the gates. I opened it to scurry out, but there was a man, a night guard at the other side, who was now looking right at me. I backed away, calculating how I can get out of this situation.

I didn’t have maybe just about half-a-minute before he would signal to the others. He looked at me, at the clothes I was wearing, and in a second, he drew his sword, realising that I wasn’t one of them. I palmed a knife, and threw it, but not before he could shout from the top of his lungs, ‘Sam!’

I looked back and saw a few men turn around, and upon seeing a girl with a dead man in front of her was enough to run for their weapons. I didn’t wait for them to reach me, though, I headed to the gate. I didn’t care now how wide I opened it, they have already seen me, and knew where I would be headed; out of here. There were enough of them to scan the whole area, so wherever I ran there would be about three people after me.

But I made a mistake. I was so focused on getting my revenge that I let the numbers slip and now I was on the ground, tackled by the sixth and final night guard. I knocked him off me and palmed a knife, but he was quicker, and I just about hissed his punch aimed for my face.

I drew one of my swords, and he pulled his out, but not quick enough. I guess he was either trying to stop me himself, or buying time, or both because now the men started to pour out of the gate. I couldn’t just knife them, so I grabbed my sword. The first three men dropped right at the gate, buying me time while the others moved their bodies aside.

I just entered the trees when something slammed into the tree next to me, just missing my head. It was an arrow, shot by one of the three men standing, two to the right and one to the left from the gate.

One of the men shouted something, and they started to flood into the trees, then another shout to fetch someone or something, but I didn’t catch who or what, and I didn’t care. All I cared about is to get to my horse whom I left a mile behind and got the hell out of here. I just need to get to her, and I will be out of here before they can pull their arrows.

The arrows, however, started to multiply, hitting everything but me in the dark. I looked behind me at one point, but I wish I hadn’t because – I don’t know how –, one of them was right behind me. Luckily, he wasn’t an archer, but one was a few metres behind him, shooting like crazy. _I wonder when he will run out of arrows ..._

When I turned my head back, I only had a second to get out of the way of the man who took the way around and lunged for me from the trees but landed in the dust. Not without injuring me, unfortunately, as his drawn sword aimed for my torso missed, but not without slicing my side open. I trembled but did not fall, but it was harder to run, and they were on my heel.

 _Just a few more meters._ I could already see Maree, my flea-bitten grey mare, standing right where I left her, calmly eating the grass. I whistled, and she lifted her head. “Get out of here! Go!” I shouted at her and extended my arm. I’d rather have her saved and going back home to warn the others than to be shot and killed. But because of this, I had no escape now. I started to slow down, and eventually fall to my knees, holding my bleeding side.

The men caught up to me just a second after I fell onto my knees, and one of them pointed his sword towards my chest. “Stand up!” He ordered. I looked up, then standing on one foot then the other, I stood up, but not letting my side go. There were not that many of them around me, I could have easily finished them, and I even lifted my sword to do so ... but then I dropped it, surrendering myself.

There would be no point now. Maree was gone, on her way home to warn the others; these men didn’t have horses which I could have stolen; I couldn’t finish what I started since I was severely injured and there were too many for me to fight injured ... my only choice was to surrender.

A man from behind me stepped forward and picked my sword up. He took my other sword and my knives too, but not my spear which they didn’t see, hidden under my cape on my back, and he didn’t care to search for more weapons than he could see.

The man in front of me smiled victoriously, and pointed his sword behind me, back to where I ran away from. With a sigh, I turned around and started walking again, really wanting to rip the head of the man behind me, poking, pushing me forward with his sword. _Mark my words, the minute I feel like I’m not going to fall apart, I will!_


	2. Chapter 2

Back, I was led to the hut standing the middle towards the back, between the training field and the huts. It was larger than the others, and lights lit in the windows now. A woman was standing in the doorway, keeping the door open.

“First attend to her, then take her to the back and lock her up,” the leader-man said to the woman, I when I looked up I realised this was the pregnant woman I met earlier. Realisation shone in her eyes, too, but didn’t comment on it. “I’ll leave three men at the door,” he added and left the hut.

“You didn’t see that coming, did you?” She walked to the bed by the wall and motioned for me to sit, but I remained at the door. “The sooner I patch you up–”

“–the sooner can you lock me up? No thanks,” I said reaching behind my back with my left hand and pulled my spear out. It was specially made, though from wood. But not any wood, the wood of the Silver Tree, or from the last branch of it. It folded and had two flat but spiked end. I, now, joint the two together and extended my arm towards her. “I dare you to scream.”

She moved her arm back to her side and kept her mouth shut. I saw medical stuff on the shelves, and I hoped they had what I needed. I walked up to the shelves and started going through the creams and oils, looking for either what I needed or the ingredients of it. Luckily, I found the cream, hidden behind jars, and falsely labelled.

“You can’t–” She stepped towards me, hands extended, reaching for the jar, but I pulled it away and pointed my spear between us.

“This is all I need, and not all of it. I suggest you sit or leave, and I’ll do the same. I don’t want to hurt you,” I said, and it was true. If I didn’t need to, I didn’t want to hurt her. She and her child were innocent.

“That’s the last one I have,” she said and stepped back. “They don’t know about it, but I should have it.”

“I figured by the false labelling. No one would want to put poison on their skin,” I said and opened the jar. The label said it was a poisonous paste inside, but the actual thing was used in strong medications. If made into a tea, it acted as a sedative, if applied it directly to the skin, it burnt it off.

I unbuttoned my jacket and vest and applied the cream to my wound. “I guess you’re not like them, are you?” She shook her head. “Does the father know?” I nodded to her growing belly. She nodded. “Well ...,” I started and put the jar back. “Thank you for your help, but I have somewhere to be.”

“You will never get out,” she said when I turned around. I turned back to her. “There are too many of them.”

“I’ll see about that.”

“More of them are coming.” She tried again.

“I’ll add them to the list then.” I grabbed my spear tighter. “If this place is _His Majesty’s_ , then he is also responsible.” I gave her a warning look not to try to stop me, then turned to the door and opened it. The three guards were there as the leader-man said, but not for long. I stepped outside and closed the door behind me. The three of them took about six seconds, and they were all on the ground.

Though I didn’t see anyone lingering outside, I didn’t take my time to get to the gate. The paste started to work, and the bleeding stopped, but I still couldn’t move as fast as I wanted. Shouting came from behind me, and I knew she sent for help. I did see a door in the back ...

I tightened my grip on my spear and lacking any more weapons; I only could have relied on it. They were coming, charging right at me, not caring if they killed me or not anymore. But they weren’t quick enough, and the flapping parts of their uniforms made it harder for them to step farther, to move faster.

They were dropping like flies, getting up, trying again just to fall dead on the ground. I couldn’t believe they were still coming, but when I heard shouting of at least a hundred more men from behind me, from the gate, a second hesitation cost me my freedom.

They encircled me, swords out in one hand, another in the other. More and more stood behind the others, stepping over the bodies. I turned around, trying to see a little window, something, but they were more professional than the ones here. They did not mess around, got to the point straight away.

I tightened my grip on my spear, and a rush of wind came, but seeing I was defeated once more, I dropped my spear to the ground. Its sound of landing and bouncing on the ground was the only one to be heard, and I realised that the fire had long been distinguished, and not a single smoke snaked to the sky. I found that strange, but only for a moment because then the wall of men parted and someone differing in uniform stepped in.

“You got yourself into quite a mess, young lady. His Majesty is not happy,” he started stepping slowly along the circle, close to his men.

“I don’t give a damn about your Majesty.” I spat.

“Well then, I guess you wouldn’t give a _damn_ if I were to behead you right now ...” He looked straight into my eyes. “... would you? For all the damage you caused. For all the men you killed. And for what?” He stopped.

“I had my reason.”

He started walking around again. “Yes. Your _reason_. Your little childish revenge on whatever you believe we did to your village I heard,” he mocked me.

“You did do it. Your men slaughtered four dozen innocent women, pregnant women, might I add, and two more dozen new-borns. And for what?” I mimicked him.

“I did not do such thing,” he lied, straight to my eyes.

“They were wearing the same uniform. They fought the same way. Slaughtered and left. But not the original number they came,” I said.

“His Majesty has lots of men all around the country.” He stopped. “What makes you think they were from here? And to let you know, this is where we train our soldiers. These men are not yet under the command of His Majesty, so your little attempt of _revenge_ was for nothing.”

It really irritated me the way he talked to me, the way he looked down at me. I clenched my fists, and another rush of wind came, and a few men in the circle shifted. He noticed it, glanced at them, then at me, and pulled his mouth to a half-smile.

“But I think you’ll be pardoned,” he continued and started walking around again. I did not turn with him, and he stepped behind me. “But we shall see, won’t we?” He said, close to my ear. He then grabbed my arms and pulled them behind my back to tie them together. I quietly cried out because my side was still not its best. “What a nice stick you have here.” He picked my spear up. “Too bad, you won’t need it. Move!” He pushed me forward, and all the men lowered their swords, and parted, creating a perfectly straight line towards the gate.


	3. Chapter 3

There was a carriage, not too fancy, but still; he pushed me in and got in after me with two more men. A quarter of them remained, but the rest followed us on horses or foot. My hands were still tied behind my back, and it was slightly uncomfortable sitting, my back towards the direction we went, and on top of that, the ground was uneven.

But I said nothing. I was sure I would find deaf ears or be mocked. And I wasn’t the type of girl to while on something being a little uncomfortable.

It took us about an hour to get where we went, though I doubt that it took them an hour to get to where we were ... But we were going steady, in fast walking speed. None of us said anything to anyone, the two men – one next to me, and one next to the man in front of me – were looking out of the small window, but both were keeping an eye on me. The man was watching me, and I tell you it started to feel creepy after the first twenty minutes.

But I said nothing. I was sure wherever they were taking me, I could escape somehow, and this thought kept me up and going.

When we got there, he pulled me out of the carriage. We were in a similar place where we were before. The only difference was that this was way bigger. The layout was the same, big and spike fence around the area, but now there were watchtowers; stepping inside, I saw the same fenced training field on my left, and huts on the right. But in the middle, there was a big building, not made from wood, but stone. It was several storeys high and had a fancy front door.

People started to appear and watch us, me, being dragged towards the building in the middle. Castle, it resembled a smaller version of a castle. I wondered what kind of royal their _Majesty_ was to live here ...

They dragged me down the stairs, and through seemingly countless corridors, but in the end, we ended up somewhere underground, and in a dimly lit, empty and spacious room. Only one person was standing towards the back, if you don’t count the four guards in there, along the wall, plus the two more who brought me in and the leader.

“Your Majesty,” he stopped and bowed.

“Thank you, Captain,” His Majesty said, then turned around. “Leave us,” he said with a small wave of his hand, and everyone went out of the room. “I hear you caused a little disturbance.” He turned to me. “Though I’m not sure why they brought you before me, instead of beheading you right there.”

“I asked myself the same thing,” I said.

“You don’t have to pretend your hands are tied. I noticed the moment you stepped in; I don’t see how my men missed it.” He motioned to me, and I dropped the rope I was holding in place to keep up the act. I looked up, rubbing my wrists, and noticed him watching me with those icy eyes. “There is something about you that I can't put my finger on.” He stepped closer. “What’s your name?”

“Lena.”

“Lena,” he said it like he tasted it. “Is that short for Elena?” I didn’t answer, but it was, and he knew it, I don’t know how. “I thought so. Why are you so special? What did my Captain see in you?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know. You have to ask you, Captain,” I said and lowered my hands. “But if you have no business with me, I would like to return home.” But he just hummed and continued staring at me. It was like he was staring into my soul.

“Tell me about your home, Lena.”

“Why would I do that?” I asked, but he ignored me and continued following his line of thoughts.

“When you say home, you don’t mean that little village south to the river,” he tilted his head, “do you?”

“I don’t kn–” I started, but then a numbing feeling appeared in my head. It felt like my mind was filled with cotton, but it stung a little. Slowly it began to build up, and I cried out, holding my head.

I realised now. His icy blue eyes, his staring into my soul, he was a Selin. Selin were people who saw into other people’s minds, read their thought right from in there, saw into their past. They were usually all high ranked people, mostly accompanies of monarchs. But they could also make you think things, plant thoughts into your head, make you do things you might not want to. What he was doing now was not just searching in my past but enjoying torturing me with making me think I’m in pain.

“Make it stop!” I cried out and fell to my knees. I knew it was all in my head, not just literally; I knew it wasn’t real, but it sure felt like it. He dragged the moment he let go of me, and when he did, it felt as though a boulder had been lifted off me. I was still on my knees, looking at the stone floor, panting.

I heard him step closer to me and crouch down. “You see, I did not need to do that, but you gave me no choice. I see now what my Captain saw in you.” He stood up again. “You hold great potential, and not just because of where you are from, but because of who you are now.” I tried standing up and looked at him. “I have an offer for you.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Even if it means saving your family?” He tilted his head again, and a picture appeared in my mind. It was my village. People were running around like headless chickens, trying to save themselves from the upcoming army. But it wasn’t just my village, now it moved onto the nearby one, and the next and the next. All of them were being attacked, not caring about who they might kill. They were all searching for something. For someone.

I shook my head. “This is not real.”

“No, but that is what’s going to happen.”

“You cannot see the future.” I scoffed.

“This is not the direct future; this is what I know will happen. Those men who attacked yours and many other villages were not my men, but someone else’s someone greater’s,” he said. “My offer,” I opened my mouth to say something, but I decided to hear him out, “is to protect your loved ones, in return for your services among my men.”

“You want _me_ to join your army?”

“In a way.”

“I don’t see how this is any good for me.” I crossed my arms.

“The threat we face doesn’t care who they have to crush to get what they want. You of all people should know that you were there when they crossed a line, a decade ago.” He tilted his head again, but I looked away. “But this started much long ago when our great-grandparents’ great-grandparents weren’t even born yet.”

“If it did start that long ago, then I don’t see how I could make a difference,” I said.

“Because you’re not alone,” he said quietly. The door opened, and a guard came in and led me away. I doubt he was given a time limit when to come and take me away, but the king told him to do so. I looked back to him, but he has already turned around, facing the wall again. A thought came to my mind, but I doubt it was my own because it told me that I was doing something right for everyone with joining. I did want to protect my family, my whole village, but I didn’t trust him.


	4. Chapter 4

I was escorted outside through the back door, then to a hut with the number 70, behind the ‘castle’, towards the training field. I was told to stay, but the guard stayed by my door. Huffing, I looked around.

It was a simple hut, a door on the right side of the wall, behind me, a window next to it, making it the only other way out. There was a bed diagonally in front of me in the left corner, a wardrobe in front of me, facing the bed and next to it there was a table with a few candles on it and two chairs. There was another table with a bowl and a jug on it for cleaning, by the window, but nothing else in the room.

I walked over to the bed and pressed my hand on it to see what the mattress was like, and I pulled my mouth when I touched a hard surface. _It would probably be more comfortable to sleep on the floor._

Someone knocked on the door, and the guard opened it. “Get some rest. You’ll start your day early tomorrow.” As quick as he appeared, he was gone. _Just great._ I took my cloak off and put it on the chair, followed by my jacket and vest. I took off my empty knife belt and put it on the table with the ones who held the swords and my spear – none of which I had anymore.

I stomped over to the bowl and poured some water into it. Never mind that it was ice cold, or rather, room temperature. I washed my face when I heard shouting from outside. I looked out of the window, but it was just two men playfully fighting on their way to their huts. Following them along, I noticed that the guard was still at my door. Scoffing I went over to the bed, took my boots off and lay down. Only then did I realise how tired I was and that I haven’t slept in over twenty hours.

Hard knocking on the door woke me up. It sounded again, and I went over to open the door. “Yes?” I asked, rubbing my eye.

“Get ready,” he said and turned his back on me. _Good morning to you too._ Not wanting to waste any more time, I washed and pulled my boots on and my jacket and opened the door. He looked at me and started walking towards the training field.

Close to the ‘castle’, there was a little storage hut, against which a tall, muscular, blonde man was leaning, waiting, crossed armed. When he heard us, he looked up and pushed himself away from the wall.

“Sergeant,” the guard with me stopped and nodded. The other man just nodded back, and the guard left. He then looked at me, sighed and headed to the open space where other pairs of men were training. “My name is Sam. I am the Sergeant of the unit you were sorted into. I also have the honour of training you, so let’s not waste any more time.” He stopped at a rack where the training swords were and turned around. “You won’t need that jacket.” He took a wooden sword and walked away a few metres. I took off my jacket and dropped it onto the ground by the rack, and took a wooden sword, too, and followed him.

“Lena,” I said and turned the sword in my hand.

“So, Lena, what kind of fighting are you good at?” He asked, copying my movement and turning his wrist, therefore the sword in his hand.

He started going around, in a circle, and I copied him. “Basically everything.”

“I see you’re right-handed.” He nodded at me. He was holding his sword in his left.

I just scoffed. “No.” I took the sword into my left hand and moved it with as much ease as I did with my right. “Why? Are you only left-handed?” I asked, and I charged at him. He stepped to the side and blocked my blow. He then swung his sword, aimed at my side, but I was faster and hit his neck from the side. “You’re dead.”

“Don’t go ahead with the celebration yet.” He turned to face me and took his sword into his right hand. “You haven’t seen anything.” He turned the sword in his hand, and I only had time to step aside and parry his blows. We went on with the swordfight for some time, but in the end, he won because I realised too late that he was doing a diversion swing, swinging his sword at an angle and speed, aimed somewhere but hitting another place, in this case, my injured side, and I landed in the dirt.

“You’re good,” he turned the sword in his hand and extended me the other to help me up. “But you can do better.”

“If I’d have my spear ...,” I murmured and got up without his help.

“But you don’t. Now, again.”

We had three more matches, and only once did I win. We held a five-minute break while we drank some water. He tried to give me pointers on what I’m doing wrong, but I gave him a look. He put his hands us in defence and declared the break over.

Later did I realise – after I tried as he said during the break – that he was right about the pointers. With those, he basically gave me help on how to win over him, and therefore I won two out of the next four matches.

“Ellan!” Sam shouted behind him, and a man walked over.

“Yes, Sergeant?”

“Grab a sword.” Sam nodded towards the rack.

“Hey!” I watched Ellan go over there, grab a sword, then come back. “This is not fair.”

“You took out more than twenty armed guards, surely two men with wooden swords will be child’s play.” Sam tilted his head, but I just gave him a look.

“Twenty?” Ellan looked at Sam, acting surprised, and whistled.

I rolled my eyes but gripped the sword tighter. Ellan charged at me first, but he made an amateur mistake and was ‘dead’ within three seconds. Sam didn’t even try to do anything just walked over to Ellan and helped him up.

“What was that?” I laughed. Sam gave him a ‘don’t underestimate her’ look, then charged at me himself. He started moving in a circle, making me follow him, but I knew what he was doing; he was making me show my back to Ellan, which was the number one rule not to do. Luckily, I realised this in time, and ducked, just when he wanted to strike, therefore striking Sam’s sword who swung his sword at the same time, aimed at me.

We went on with the swordfight, longer than I expected, and I gave everything into it, but they just wouldn’t ‘die’. One time I tripped over something, and half showed my back to Sam while parrying a blow from Ellan. Sam used this to his advantage and hit my side, my injured side, but hard and I cried out and stumbled forward. I pressed my hand to it, trying to make the throbbing stop.

“Are you all right?” Ellan stepped closer.

“Yes. Yes.” I straightened up. “I just need a second.” I took a deep breath and exhaled it. Nodding, we all stepped into position and continued.

***

We trained until the end of the daylight. I was tired and hungry, but Sam said the day is not over yet. Putting my jacket back on, I followed him into the ‘castle’, and down the stairs.

“You’re not here for free,” he said and held open a door. “So, you need to take part,” he said and pulled me inside the kitchen.

“Really? Can you be more sexist than this?” I asked, looking around the kitchen where only women were working and scurrying around.

“Be happy you’re not a maid,” he whispered into my ear and chills run along my back. He handed me a white apron. “They need help with the nightly chores. Simone, here,” he waved to a larger built lady to come over, “is your boss here. You do what she says, and everyone will be happy. You don’t do what she says ...” He glanced up at her. “Let’s just say that even I don’t like the result of that. Simone, this is Lena, Lena, Simone,” he said and turned around and left.

“Station five,” she barked. “Rose needs help with the dishes.” She nodded to a petite girl behind her, standing before the basin. “I want to see my reflection in them.” She threw me a cloth and went past me to bark some more orders to someone else.

I walked up to Rose. She looked at me and stepped to the side. “You’re the new help?”

“Something like that,” I said.

“I’m Rose.”

“Lena,” I said. “You dry, I’ll wash.” I handed her the cloth Simone gave me and stepped to the side, making her step too.

We washed and dried the towering dirty dishes in silence for the next hour or so. After that, about half of the kitchen crew sat down at the long table in the middle. They put a bowl in front of me that I didn’t even know what it was supposed to be, but its smell wasn’t too bad, and I ate it all up.


	5. Chapter 5

The next days, everything started again. I was woken up by the guard, but he didn’t escort me to the field. Sam kept up the training with the sword, and Ellan sometimes joined him, but not every time. At the end of the day, I would be sent to the kitchen to work until night, then fall into bed, and everything would start the next day again.

“Aren’t you bored of sword fighting already? Because I am.” I lowered my wooden sword.

“All right.” He turned it in his hand. “I can see now that you are good with it, but I wouldn’t give you a knife to throw, I think you know why.” He gave me a look. “But let’s see how you do without a weapon,” he said, and when I groaned, he gave me another look and took my sword and put them back to the rack.

Then he took his long-sleeved shirt off, and when I thought he will be topless, I saw he was wearing a vest underneath. I couldn’t help to notice his muscles when it slid up when he took the shirt off, also his seemingly oval tattoo, half covered by the strap of his vest on the right side of his chest; but I looked away. He dropped his shirt at the foot of the rack and walked away a few metres.

“Did they teach you how to fight one-on-one?” He asked.

“Yes.” I walked up to him. He didn’t give me much time, he swung his hand right away, just about missing my face. His next blows I was only able to parry his blows, they came right after the other.

“Come on!” He stepped back. I sighed and swung my arm, but he grabbed it and pulled it behind him, leading it away. He then pushed me forward, and I stumbled but didn’t fall. “Come on! You’re not even trying. You said they taught you.”

“They did.” I turned around. “But I never said I was good.”

“You can’t fight,” he asked, disbelieving.

“No, I can.” I nodded. “Just ... That’s not my strength.”

“Well, you’re here to turn your weaknesses into strengths,” he said. “Is there anything particular you find ... _challenging_ in a one-on-one.”

I groaned. “Ugh. It’s not ... It’s not something I found _challenging_ , rather ... I can’t explain. It’s just not my strength.”

“Then let’s make it your strength,” he said and waved to me, only moving his fingers, meaning to attack him. Sighing, I readied myself and did as he asked.

He parried my blow, and when I wanted to hit him in his torso, he grabbed my hand. He told me how to do it next, and we tried again. Basically, he was telling me how to win, though this was not a match. We held small breaks every three hours or so, and a longer one for lunch but then continued. At the end of the day, Sam stood in front of me, slightly panting.

“Let’s see what you learned today,” he said and motioned to me to go and attack him.

I did, and I did everything as I knew best or as he corrected me to do so. Since he taught me how to ward off and return his blows, so I knew how and where he aimed his blows ... well, not every one of them. In the beginning, I was winning, but then he started blowing hits towards me that he didn’t before, and I tried my best, but one escaped my defence and landed on my still a bit injured side and knocked me to the ground.

I was panting, looking up at him. He was panting too, which probably meant that I wasn’t an easy opponent. He extended his hand to help me up, and I accepted. “You’re improving.”

I scoffed. “Thanks. But can you leave my poor side alone? What when you can’t knock me out you just go for my weak spot? That’s unfair.” He laughed and shook his head but didn’t answer.

“We’re done for today.” He headed to grab his shirt and turned to leave.

***

The next two days were the same again, he was teaching – correcting me in my fighting. We were in the middle of one, of course, as always, we were not the only people training. There were hay bales by the fence we were near, and two men were throwing knives and axes. I saw Sam keep glancing at them, so I stopped.

“Is there something wrong? You keep looking at them.” I turned my head over to the two men then I scoffed. “If you’re afraid that I’ll steal a weapon and kill everyone here, don’t. I’m not in the mood right now.” He just shook his head, then went back to continue our training.

Just about a few minutes later, I have no idea how, but one of the knives changed course and would have hit Sam if I wouldn’t have moved my hand in front of me from left to right, to make it change direction. Sam saw it, and first, he looked at the knife, then to me, surprised and disbelieving.

Realising what I have just done, I took a step back and pulled my hand in.

“You did that,” he said quietly.

I shook my head and looked over at the two men. One of them came over and apologising to Sam, he retrieved the knife and moved back to practice with his partner. None of them or the others saw what I did, only Sam.

“I did nothing,” I said quietly, but he looked around and walked to me.

“I know it, so stop lying,” he said quietly. “I knew it the moment you held your spear. I know it’s from the Silver Tree, my brother had a knife which’s handle was made from that tree. I knew it was from that, I felt it,” he said quickly.

“I knew it! You held it without it burning you. Only someone with magic can do that!” I said equally quietly and slowly. “Your tattoo!” I looked down but then up again and took a step back because everything fell into place, and I realised who he was. “You’re a Hawk!”

“And you’re Elena of Silver Valley,” he said.

I wanted to open my mouth to say something, but instead, I asked, “How did you know?”

“Come on. ‘Lena’? The power of the wind?” He gave me a look.

“But you ... Your line was–” I paused. “The Hawks don’t exist anymore. They were all hunted down and killed six hundred years ago.”

He extended his arms to the side, then let them drop. “I’m here. My brother and my mother are here.” He paused. “Yes, our rule may have been over six hundred years ago, but we still live scattered around the world, living like normal people.” He looked into my eyes. “I heard a decade ago they did it again.”

I looked away. “My family was nothing compared to yours.” I sighed. “But I don’t want to talk about it, let’s just get back to training. _Normal_ training,” I said, and he nodded.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, at the end of our training, for the next three days, Sam held an hour-long practice when we agreed we could use our wind power. We both were out of practice and thought we could use some. We started once everyone was off the training field. I dropped a shield around us so that we won’t damage anything and draw unwanted attention to us.

On the third day, at the end, when everyone went away, Sam approached me.

“You are relieved of kitchen duty tonight,” he said. “And also, we won’t have the extra training tonight.”

“What? Why?”

He turned around and gave me a questioning look. “Why? You want to go back and work until midnight?”

“No. But I meant why is there no extra training? What happened?” I asked.

He gave me a look and didn’t answer my question. “See you tomorrow. Oh! Tomorrow we’ll probably start later. I have something to take care of tonight.”

“What?”

“That doesn’t concern you. Have a good night,” he said and turned on his heel.

***

That night I couldn’t sleep properly for some reason. I had this strange feeling that I couldn’t figure out why was there. But I found out around two in the morning, when Sam barged into my hut.

“Get dressed.” He barked.

He was about to close the door, but I asked, “Why? What’s wrong?” I got out of the bed and pulled my boots on.

“A scout came back that a few hundred soldiers are camping a few miles west from here. I’m taking my unit out there to check it out.”

I went over to the chair and put my vest on. I eyed my empty belts, then Sam said, “Bring it. You might need this.” I turned over to him and saw that in his hand was my spear, folded up. I was surprised that he had it, but I was even more astonished that he touched it with his bare hands.

You see, as I said, it was from a unique tree’s branch, the Silver Tree, from my home. It had magical abilities, and if forged into a weapon, it also has magical abilities. My spear cannot be held by another person unless they are like me. Have magical abilities. And Sam was holding it with his bare hands and wasn’t screaming while his skin burnt.

I took it from him, and put it on my back into its case, put my cape on and was ready to go. We were not headed towards the front gate but towards the back, and only now did I realise that behind the area there were the stables. I saw two horses waiting, and I was left speechless by what I saw.

“What is Maree doing here?” I ran to my horse and hugged her. I checked if she was all right, but not a hair on her body was out of place.

“We saw her wandering in the area two days after you came. We didn’t know whose it was until now.” He laughed. “Get up, we needed to be there ten minutes ago,” he said and got onto his horse, a bay stallion. I got on Maree, too, and followed him out of the stables and into the forest.

“Where are the others? Didn’t you say you’re taking your unit?” I asked.

“I figured you, and I are enough.” He shouted back.

“But if the news only came now, then what was that something you had to take care of tonight?” I asked.

“That doesn’t matter now. This is more important, and I need you to help me,” he said. We kept quiet and galloping towards wherever that scout saw the enemy.

“This is far enough,” Sam said and got off his horse, and I followed him.

“What exactly do you need me to do here?” I asked quietly while we were moving through the trees.

“To watch my back,” he said, then put his hand up and stopped. He pointed forward, and through the trees, I saw a huge campsite. At least a hundred tents were pulled up, soldiers scattered among them.

“Woah!”

“Yes. Now we just need to make sure they do not get to us,” Sam added. I quickly looked around if I can find anything, and something caught my eye.

“We can torch the place up,” I suggested. “You see the torches scattered? All we need to do is create wind and move it along the tents. They will catch fire immediately, torching everything.”

“All right. What do you need me to do?” He asked, and I just blinked at him.

“You ... How much did they teach how to use your powers?” I asked him.

He looked down then up again. “Not much to be honest. Where we lived, we didn’t have a chance to ... practice.” He explained.

“Uhh ... All right. Then ... just be a good lookout and watch my back,” I said, turn in towards the camp. I wasn’t close enough for my plan to work, so I motioned to Sam to follow. We got a few metres closer but still far enough to be safe. I lifted my arms, and while one remained extended, with the other, I made a slight circling movement. I concentrated on the air around the place, calling it, sending it to encircle and grow the fire burning on the torches.

Soon panicked shouting was heard, and people started to run around.

“That’s good, Lena, let’s go.” Sam put a hand on my shoulder.

“I’m not finished yet.” I pulled away and started again.

“Lena!”

I turned around to face him. “Do you want to make sure they don’t move an inch towards your home? Well, I do. So, let me do what you brought me here for.” I turned back and started again. It was easier to do it, all I needed was a little wind from this angle, and a little from there, and the whole place was on fire, which I was sure they could have seen from the ‘castle’ too.

“Now, I’m done.” I stood up, and we headed back to the horses, but we’ve got company. There were three men at our horses searching for their owners. With another circling movement of my hand, one of them dropped on his knees and grabbed his neck. I was sucking the air out of his lungs, suffocating him. A quiet but deadly thing they taught me.

It took him a few moments to finally give up, and meanwhile, Sam was fighting off the two others. I lifted both my arms and they both dropped to their knees, grabbing to their throats, hungry for air.

“You need to teach me that,” Sam said when they, too, gave up. I looked behind me to the burning camp, and just a second later, something slammed into my stomach. I grabbed at it and stunned back. “Lena come on!” Sam shouted to me from atop his horse. When he saw I was holding my stomach and that an arrow was sticking out of it, he got off and stood before me.

He turned around to see where the arrow could have come from, but he couldn’t have seen him because he was hiding behind the trees. I felt it. I extended my arm to the left slightly towards the camp. “He’s – that – way,” I said, my voice quiet and hoarse.

He looked the way I pointed just when another arrow was shot by the archer but ended up in a tree nearby. Sam disappeared the way I pointed to and didn’t return for some moments which seemed like an eternity.

His sword was drawn and bloody, and so was his hand. “Can you ride?” I shook my head. He looked down at my stomach and put his sword away. He wiped his hands then put one on the end of the arrow and another close to my hand, holding my stomach. “This is going to hurt a bit.”

“Do not pull it out or I’ll bleed to death!” I said right at the moment when he broke the end of the arrow, making it shorter and not so dangerous to anyone. I cried out in pain and grabbed his arm. Panting I followed him to my horse, but I shook my head and pointed to his. “We should take yours. Maree will follow us,” I said.

He helped me to his horse and helped me up, which was the most painful thing I have ever encountered. I wondered how I was going to get off ... He got on behind me, and we got out of there as quickly as we could. Maree did follow us, as I thought, and I was glad.

My eyes started to get heavy, and my head buckled forward a few times. “Do not fall asleep, you hear me?” Sam shook me. “Lena! Lena?”

***

I woke up on my bed. The room was dark, and it was dark outside too. I touched the place where the arrow went into my stomach, but I only felt bandage. I tried sitting up, but I only managed by moving to the side and making a circular motion with my upper body. I pulled my boots up and put my jacket on – which wasn’t as easy as it sounds – and opened the door.

It wasn’t dark outside, not really, I realised there was something in front of the window, covering it on the inside, making the room look like it’s dark. Since there was only one place I knew Sam could be, I headed to the field.

It must have been some time afternoon because people started coming onto the field and beginning to train – again, I assume, after lunch. At the thought of food, my stomach grumbled, but I ignored it because I saw Sam, practising with two they men.

I approached them and wanted to wait until they finished, but Ellan saw me and stopped. Sam turned around too, said something to the other two who walked away. Sam walked up to me. “When I said we’ll start later today, I didn’t mean this.”

“I’m sorry. Next time be a little more specific.” I nudged his shoulder, and so did he.

“Go back and rest.” He nodded towards the huts. “You’ve earned a day off.”

I looked behind me, feeling the pull of my bed, wanting to have a good sleep I haven’t really had for weeks ... But I looked back at him and shook my head. “I don’t want to rest.”

“Of course, you don’t.” He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Go! I’m saying it as your Sergeant. Go and rest, because tomorrow I don’t want you collapsing mid-training.” He pointed to the huts with his sword now.

“Yes. Sir.” I exaggerated and rolled my eyes and turned around. Before I did, I caught a smile starting in the corner of his mouth.


	7. Chapter 7

“Now, show me how you did it,” Sam said while he put the swords and others away that the other men had left lying around.

“Show what?” I asked. I was still panting, holding my stomach. He did what he said yesterday and only held back a little, because of my condition.

“How you killed those men without basically touching them.” He finished and turned to me.

“Oh. That.” I nodded in realisation. “It’s rather easy. Basic. You just need to ... take the air out of their lungs.” I shrugged. “Bu-u-ut ...” I looked around for something for him to try it on, and I spotted a sack. I lifted it up without touching it and dropped before his feet. “Let’s try on this.” I filled it with air, and ‘tied’ it on top. “This act will act as a lung now. You simply need to take the air out. But make sure you leave some because our aim is not to crush their lungs.” I paused. “But don’t take it out _all at once_ ... just like you would with a thread.”

“All right. Let’s give it a try,” he said and lifted his hand. Trying to copy the movement I made yesterday, then the sack – with a _slup_ – it was flat and fell to the side and dropped on the ground.

He looked at me, realising that he hadn’t done a single thing like I asked, he lowered his hand. “Well,” I started. “You have done one thing right.” He lifted his brows. “You did nothing I asked.”

He scoffed. “It’s harder than you make it look like.”

“Boy, am I glad we didn’t try it on me,” I muttered then looked up. “Now,” I filled the sack with air again. “Let’s try it again. Try ...” I paused. “Try taking your time. _Slowly_ take it out, leaving some behind so that it won’t turn to dust. It’s best if you ... imagine how much you want to take. About half of it, for Now, okay?” He nodded and started again. This time it was slower – by mere two seconds – but the sack flopped onto the ground again, flat.

“What am I doing wrong?” He asked. “I do everything as you say!”

“All right, uhm ...” I paused for a second, thinking. “Let’s just try again. Just ... try to be gentle. I can see it in your eyes that you just want to be done with it.”

He said nothing but tried again. This time, he did start slowly, the sack slowly started losing its shape, but then suddenly it flopped on the ground flat, like the first two tries. He let his hand fall to his side, annoyed, but before he could say anything, I did.

“Let me try something,” I said and stepped closer to him. “I’ll need a knife or something sharp.”

“What?”

“Trust me on this one.” I looked up to him. “Please,” I added quietly. He sighed but took his pocket knife out. He flapped it out and – after a second of hesitation – he gave it to me. “Give me your hand.”

“First my knife, now my hand?” He asked, rolling his eyes, but put his hand into mine, palm facing upwards.

“This might sting a little,” I said and made a cut on his palm. He wanted to pull his hand away and looked at me disbelieving. I let his hand go, but he held it in place while I made an identical cut on my hand. I dropped the knife then and put my hand on his.

Something resembling realisation and shock appeared on his face. “Do you know how to do this?” He asked.

Then he did know what I was doing. “Yes. When my father took me in, he took me to the Elders who were three of old women, who were supposedly immortal and have magical abilities. One of them did this on me to see how much power I really have, and so they could tell me how I could control it because ...” I took a deep breath. “... because a nine-year-old don’t really know how to control herself, does she now?” I scoffed. He said nothing. Circulating my hand above ours, I bind them together with air, then started saying the words I learnt a long time ago.

Our hands started to get warmer, and I felt just how much power he had. I saw it like if I was looking at a barrel, checking just how full it was. His was still flowing, still going, but I never got to its end because a stinging feeling made us both pull our hands away from the other. I turned my palm upwards, and my eyes widened when I saw the cut healed completely, and a slight gold-ish Mark shining where the scar should have been.

“No,” I whispered, but it was merely an exhale.

“Was that supposed to happen?” He asked, looking at his hand, them picking up his knife.

I just shook my head to clear it and sighed. “You have more power than I thought.” I shook my head, still trying to get around just how much. “Yours compared to mine is like ... is like the sea compared to a barrel of water.”

“You know, I felt exactly what you have felt, and yours is not a barrel of water, you’re just better in controlling it. Pressing it down,” he said.

“Yours is raw power. True power, like the tales, tell it your family had,” I said. I went on telling him what the Elders told me how to control it. “It won’t be easy, considering ... but if you want to learn to control it, and not to destruct ... then I don’t think you have a choice.”

“I want to try it again,” he said. I nodded slightly and filled the sack with air. He closed his eyes and lifted his hand again, but only moved his two fingers upwards. The sack was slowly letting the air out, then falling to the ground like a leaf.

“Good!” I turned to him. He opened his eyes and looked at me, then at the not so flat sack.

“I did it?”

“Yes!” I smiled.

“It felt like I wasn’t doing anything, but I know now what I did wrong,” he said.

We tried it again, and again, and again until I was sure he was ready. Then I turned to him. “Now do it on me.”

“What? No!”

“Learning to control your power me and learning when to let go,” I said. If you let go, before I suffocate ... then you truly start to get it.” I tilted my head. “Don’t worry, it has happened to me countless times.” I waved it off.

“What?”

“Okay. Not countless, maybe a couple, but that’s beside the point.” I shifted my weight and looked at him. “Just like with that.” I pointed to the sack on the floor. “It’s the same. Slowly, but you need to know when to let go. I trust you,” I said.

“That’s good, but I don’t trust myself.” He shook his head. When I didn’t respond, just looked at him, he sighed then pulled his mouth, not really wanting to do it, but he lifted his hand.

Even though I knew what to expect, it came suddenly. All I could do was choke for air, which not only did not come but was escaping my lungs. I fell on my knees and grabbed to my throat. Soon, little black dots started appearing in front of me, and when I thought he won’t let go, the pressure disappeared. I took deep breaths, leaning on my hands, looking towards the ground.

He walked over and extended his hand to me to help me up. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it, it was my idea,” I said. “But yeah, you’re getting there.”


	8. Chapter 8

When I went to the field three days later, feeling ... happy-er than usual, Sam pulled me away to the storage hut the second he saw me.

“I know what you did then, and I know what that sting meant,” he whispered.

I shook my head. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Yes, it does,” he said and lowered his voice. “It means we’re sicaia.”

I shook my head again. “People with the same magical abilities cannot be sicaia. At least that’s what I heard.”

“No, it was that. I knew what you were doing, I’ve seen it being done before. I knew I had a book about magic – hidden because His Majesty doesn’t allow any books like that in his library,” he said. “I don’t know it because of a sting, but because of the golden mark left on our palm.” I brushed my fingers against it, though there was nothing visible anymore there. “It would have normally been healed in a ... normal case. Like it probably did when they did it to you first,” he said. He was right, though.

“And? Even if _this_ ... is true,” I paused. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

He seemed surprised by my words, but he just nodded and looked away. “All right. I just ... thought of letting you know.” He walked past me, asking me without words, to follow, and started the training.

He evidently expected a different answer from me, I saw it on his face. But it didn’t matter to me if we were or weren’t sicaia. I was here to protect my people, that is if _His Majesty_ was keeping his word.

Sam went over to the rack, but he didn’t take a training sword. He instead reached next to it, and pulled out two, real swords, and threw one to me.

“Really?” I asked disbelievingly.

“Yep. You were right. I had enough of the fake training. In my experience, even if one does well with the wooden swords, they are usually either worse or better with a real one. I want to see where you’re standing,” he said and stepped into position.

“How far can I go?” I asked.

“I won’t hold back.” He turned the sword in his hand, and I heard the sweet, tingling sound of the sharp blade.

I laughed, sweetly and turned the sword in my hand. “I’m going to enjoy this.”

I stepped closer to him, and he attacked first. I stepped aside and hit the back of his head with the pommel. He swung it backwards, turning with it, but it met my blade. We continued the swordfight, and the sweet sound of the blades meeting in the air and when one of us swung it, was music to my ears after all this time of not having it.

Our fight now was much longer, then the one we had with the wooden swords. I didn’t think it would be the case, but the other ones are heavier to swing because of their material, then these ones.

But neither of them met the two swords I had. I choose them from a blacksmith who paired the pommel and the blade just for me. They were light as a feather, the blades thinner and an inch longer than the usual swords. I decided I will ask Sam where they were.

At the end of our fight, I won. I managed to take Sam’s sword, and while holding it in my left hand, the sword in my right was pointed to his throat. Stunned, he nodded slightly. I gave him back his sword and – entirely by chance – we both put the sword into to our other hand.

We had another fight which I won, but the second I don’t know what happened, what I did wrong, but I landed on the floor with a swords point pointed at my chest.

He scoffed but extended his hand and pulled me up. Since he stood close to me, I ended up closer to him than I expected. Still holding my hand between us, he looked up from it, and in my eyes. A thought ran across my mind and wanted to settle, but I sent it away and stepped back.

“Stop cheating,” I said because I felt as though he did use his powers.

“I didn’t,” he said calmly.

“Good. Because not only would it be unfair to me if I consider we’re sword fighting, but then again to you too if I start playing by your rules.”

“Oh? And why is that?” He asked.

“Because I have been trained both magical and non-magical way, in the last decade,” I said, shrugging as if it was apparent.

“And I wasn’t?” He asked back.

“Why you were?”

He tilted his head. “Well, a little. But I’m better if I have my weapons as a back-up,” he said, and I laughed.

“Yes. So, decide now which type of your weapons you want to use because I’m fine with either,” I said.

“Let’s just stick with the normal one.” He turned his wrist.

“Fine.”


	9. Chapter 9

One time, our training today turned into a ... different one towards the end. After lunch, he didn’t come back for another hour, and I used this time to my advantage to train with a real sword, though by myself.

“I see I’m not needed here after all,” a slightly angry voice said from behind me, and I spun around and pointed my sword to Sam.

“Sorry.” I lowered it. “But you weren’t back after lunch, and I thought of using the time I had.” He just nodded and extended his hand to take my sword. “Can I have mines back?” I gave it to him.

“Your what?” He asked back while he went to put it away.

“My twin swords,” I said. “The Captain took them when I came here, along with my spear. You gave me back that, I supposed you’d have them.”

“I do.” He turned his back on me. “You’ll get them back.”

“When?”

“Later.”

“What’s your problem? What happened?” I asked, looking after him.

He sighed and turned around. “Sorry. I just got some bad news from home. Nothing you should be concerned about.”

“All right.” I pulled my mouth, and we went back to training.

He tried to keep up his act that the news he got wasn’t upsetting, I saw to it clearly on him that he was angry. Even though we were training, he wandered off a few times, resulting in either me winning or him giving me everything he got.

One time, he was the second one and landed a punch that made me land on the ground and slid back and bumped against a barrel.

“Ouch.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He helped me up but held my hand in-between us.

“I think we should call it a day. You’re clearly upset and are wondering off.”

“No, no. I’m fine. Really.”

“Sure?”

“Yes, yes.” He was looking into my eyes, locking mine to his. That thought from before came back, nesting itself into my mind. He glanced down to my lips, and I knew that naughty little idea nested its way into his mind too, the only difference is that while I didn’t, he did act upon it. He moved closer, his lips closing in the distance between us, then breathing a kiss on them.

I pulled away.

“I don’t ... I can’t ...” I breathed. “I’m sorry,” I said and stepped back then turned away and run back to my hut. Sliding down along the door, I hugged my knees.

 _I couldn’t do that to him. He died, trying to save me, and ..._ I placed my hand on my stomach. _It feels wrong. It feels as though I’m forgetting him too quickly. But on the other hand, he’d want me to move on, to find someone. He wouldn’t want me to be alone for the rest of my life ..._

 _“Lena?”_ A soft voice came from the other side of the door. _“Lena, I know you’re in there, please open up.”_ He paused, waiting for my answer, but I did nothing. _“Lena, I’m sorry.”_

Sighing and wiping my eyes, I stood up and slowly opened the door. I looked up and saw his expression was confused and regretful, but hopeful. I stepped aside, silently inviting him inside. We both just stood there for some moments, but I broke it in the end.

“I’m sorry, Sam. I just ... I can’t. Not yet.” I didn’t look at him. “And you are upset too ...”

“What happened?” He asked. “I saw it wasn’t because of me ...”

I sighed. “You know when I ... paid a visit to that training centre, hoping to find payback for what they did to my village?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it was two years ago. When they attacked. It took us by major surprise and had very little time to act. Almost all the men, from ages as young as sixteen to as old as they could still stand, run and hold a sword; went to fight the attackers,” I started. “I couldn’t join them, Gared wouldn’t let me, even though I was still able to ...” I looked down. I knew what he was going to ask next.

“Why? What was up with you?”

I closed my eyes. “I was a month pregnant.” I paused. “With Gared’s child.”

“What happened then?” He breathed after a moment.

“As I said, they attacked, and we fought back but,” I shook my head. “They didn’t want to fight, they didn’t attack the men at first.” I paused. “Instead, they went for the pregnant women and newborns.” I saw his eyes widen, but he said nothing. “It was like ... like they were searching for something or someone. Many women died, along with just as many new-borns. Some women survived, but most had lost their husbands, partners when the men finally attacked the soldiers, and they fought back.” I closed my eyes again. “I was lucky enough to survive, but Gared and ...” My voice broke. “Gared and our baby didn’t.”

He stepped closer. “I’m so sorry, Lena.” He drew me into a friendly and comforting hug. “But Gared died saving you, and he did, didn’t he?”

“I should have been there, fighting with them. I could have just grabbed my spear or a sword and went out–”

“But what good would’ve that done?” He stepped back and put his hands on my shoulders. “We will find those men, I promise you. I will help you find them and make them pay for what they have done.”

“What was the news you got?” I asked quietly after a moment.

He took his hands away and sighed heavily. “That excuse of a father of mine happened. He was supposed to care for our mother, and I just got news that she died. When I left, she was as lively as ever, even though she was sick. And the worst of it all is that I cannot leave for another four months.”

I never knew what to say in these times. So, I just reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Take the day off. No training today, or tomorrow if You’re not feeling up to it.”

“You’d like that, huh?” He smiled, and I gave him a push. His smile slowly faded but remained a smile, and stepped past me, towards the door. “But this just means that you have a longer time to work in the kitchens.”

Realising that he was right, I closed my eyes and sighed. “I planned to spend some time with Maree, but I guess it just has to wait.”

“You know what?” He turned back. “ _Only_ if you’re back the time you need to be in the kitchen, I will grant permission for you to ride out.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised.

“You deserve it. You’ve trained hard. And you had not one word about it ...”

“I could have,” I mumbled.

“... so yes. Really.” He opened the door and stepped out, flashing a smile to me. I put my vest on and grabbed my spear and put it over my shoulder. I grabbed my cape and headed to the stables.

“Maree?” I shouted once I was in the stables. A grey head appeared on my left. I went over there and stroked her. “Oh, I missed you. I hope you’re not angry with me that I didn’t visit.”

She lifted her head.

“Oh, please. I was very busy, and Sam didn’t really let me visit between training and working in the kitchen.”

She snickered.

“Do you want to ride out?”

She moved her head up and down, agreeing.

I brushed her and mounted up, then I got on her and headed out, but was stopped by a guard at the door of the stables.

“You’re not allowed to ride out without someone with you,” he said and stepped in front of me.

“My Sergeant gave me permission,” I said, but he didn’t move. “Don’t believe me? Ask him.”

“Sergeant, who?” He asked back.

“Sam.”

He nodded and stepped aside. “Have a good ride out.”

“Thank you,” I said as I passed him.

***

I passed a beautiful place on my way to the training centre, not far from here. It was in the middle of the forest. It was a small lake and at night, when the moon reflected on the water. I kind of remembered where it was, and I found it in a shorter time than I expected. If it would take me the same amount of time, then I would be fine if I head back when the sun was setting.

I dismounted Maree and only told her not to get too dirty, and she was off. She won’t go far, she never did. We had a great relationship. I was the one who cared for her five years ago when she was born, but her mother died. None of the other village people wanted her to live because she was so small, but I just couldn’t let her die, so I cared for her every day of every year.

I took my cape and vest off, followed by my boots and trousers and shirt. The lake was clear and calling. I walked in it, and with a jump, I dove underwater. The water felt good, cool, against the heat.

I swam for a short time, enjoyed the water then went out to the beach. The sun shone right onto the lake, and it reflected the light, and I enjoyed the heat on me, while I rested on the beach.

When the sun started to set, when it didn’t have that much warmth as it did before, I started dressing up again and called Maree to me. I mounted her up again, and headed back, taking my time now because I realised I had time.

I was back just before I was needed in the kitchen, but I had some time, so I spent what I had with Maree then left to the kitchen.


	10. Chapter 10

Sam thought it was time I joined the other soldiers in training, and most just with him. In the next two weeks, I’ve gotten to know all the other unit members, not just Ellan. They were like a big family, and right from the second day, they treated me like their sister. They joked with each other and played pranks on each other like little boys, and that included me too.

I admit it was slightly awkward between Sam and me after that kiss. There were a few other times during those two weeks that was ... close, but up until this day I didn’t think the others noticed something was up with us.

“Hey, Lena!” Marcus called me over towards the end of the day. Since I wasn’t training with just Sam, he didn’t need to be on the field all day, so it was just me, Marcus, Jill, Ellan and three others here.

“Hey.” I smiled.

“Listen, could you get me something?”

“Yeah.” I paused. “What?”

“I keep forgetting it in hut 206,” he said.

“What is it?”

“You will see. I can’t really go right now because Jill asked me to help him with something. You will see, that’s the only thing in there.” He smiled.

“All – right.” I stretched the words and headed off the training field.

“You’re so sweet!” He shouted after me, and I only replied with a wave of my hand, without turning back.

202 ... 203 ... 204 ... 205 ... ah! 206. I put my hand on the handle to open it, but someone said my name and I looked to the right.

“What are you doing here?” Sam approached me and stood between me and the door.

“I ...” I looked at the hut number. It was 206 as Marcus ... “I’m sorry.” I closed my eyes. _I can’t believe this._ “Marcus sent me here to get something for him, but I should’ve known.”

“Marcus sent you to get something for him from my hut?” Sam asked back.

“I didn’t know it was your hut,” I said. “But he knew it, and he knew that I didn’t ...”

“I see.” Sam nodded.

“I won’t bother you anymore.” I took a step back then turned around.

“Wait.” He called after me, and I turned around. Though I didn’t say a word, with my eyes, I asked, “Yes?” I wanted him to answer, but he didn’t, and I just smiled and scoffed softly and turned to leave.

When I got back to the field, I heard Marcus and Jill laugh. “Hey! Did you find it?” Marcus shouted after me.

“You’re very funny,” I said sarcastically. “I wish you’d put this much effort into your technique.”

“Which technique?” He asked back, laughing and turning to Jill. Realising what he meant, I just shook my head and went to pack up after me.

“Hey, listen,” Marcus said to me when he passed me. “I never joke around with what I don’t see.” He extended his arms and exited the field. _Great._


	11. Chapter 11

One night, when I was exiting the kitchen, I saw Ellan and Jill enter the dining hall. “Lena! Come join us!” Ellan said, too happily.

I laughed. “Where?”

They reached me, and Jill put his arm over my shoulder. I could’ve smelled it that he had a few. “In here.” He pushed in the dining room door with his other hand. The whole unit and a few more men were in there. They pulled the tabled together, and they all sat around it, pints in their hands.

I saw Sam here too, sitting toward the end. When he saw us, he waved us to go over. Someone brought us a pint each, and though I knew I wouldn’t be drinking, I didn’t say anything.

They were all having a good time, letting loose, joking about the others and times when this or that happened. They also told tales of what happened to them, others sometimes calling it out to be a lie, and a slight argument would rise which no one stood to stop because it died down moments later.

They were sort of playing a game too, though I wasn’t very clear with the rules, and I didn’t even think it had, or if it did then they took them loosely too.

Every now and then the one big conversation would break up into little ones between a few people.

We spent hours there, or well, they did because I joined late ... We left the dining room a little after midnight, everyone supporting their friends to their huts. Sam insisted on escorting me to mine since – as he said – these men weren’t in their best, and he didn’t want me to accidentally end up near them. I did say that I was just in a room with them, but then he corrected, to find myself _alone_ in their company...

We stopped when we were at my hut, and I turned around after opening the door. “Uhm, thanks for walking me back.” He just smiled softly and stepped closer. None of us was not guilty of not drinking, and this may have been why I didn’t pull away when his face was inches from mine. He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut in. “Sam, we’re drunk,” I whispered.

“We didn’t have that much to drink,” he mused. “I only had a glass, and I saw you leave your second one,” he added. It was true. Though slowly, but I finished my first, and when they brought me a second, I only drank half of it. Partially because of time, I was rather listening to the stories than drinking, partly because I had no intention of getting drunk tonight or any night. For a moment in there, I thought they were going to comment on it, but it appeared no one noticed it or me.

I looked into his eyes, shining in the dim light of the torches. His lips were still pulled to a faded smile, and I wanted to say something, but he closed the words back into my mind and made me forget them, with a fiery but soft kiss.

He stepped forward, making me move back into my room. I knew where this was going, and I wanted to stop it, but my mind was clouded by the drinks I had and by his kisses.

I faintly heard the door shut, though, we were nowhere near it now, standing in the middle of the room. Sam’s hand wandered to my waist, and the other to my cheek and he looked into my eyes.

“I don’t think we should do it. We’re not ourselves,” I said, but I only half meant it. Since he started it already, I began to feel more like accepting. And it wasn’t entirely true that we weren’t ourselves. Yes, we did have a drink or two, but that’s about it, and they only made us have enhanced happiness.

“Wasn’t convincing enough.” He breathed near my ear. “But if you really don’t wa–” I shut him up with a kiss.

***

In the morning, remembering what happened last night, I lifted my head and looked at Sam. He was already up, one hand under his head and with the other, he was holding me close.

“Morning,” he said when he saw that I was up too.

“Morning.” I smiled.

He sat up, and I followed, pulling the blanket with me; not that I had anything to hide from him anymore ... I wanted to know if last night meant the same thing to him as it did to me, but I didn’t know how to start. He looked at me, smiled and kissed me. Then he turned around and started pulling his clothes on.

When he finally stood up to gather his shirt, I gathered my courage. “Sam?”

“Hm?” He turned back. I looked down and closed my eyes. “What’s wrong?”

I felt the bed shift as he sat back down. “I just ... I just want to know where we stand now. What ... this meant. Because I know what it did to me but ... I’m just not sure what it did ... to you.”

He put his finger under my chin and lifted my head. “Nothing’s going to change,” he said, but I didn’t know how to interpret that.

Does it mean it meant nothing? Nothing will change ... like it didn’t happen? Are we just going to forget about it and live like –

He probably saw the confusion in my eyes because he continued. “It happened. Yes. I’m not regretting anything, but let’s not go around telling the news to everybody.” A weight fell from my heart. I nodded, and he kissed my forehead. “I need to go and start the day. I’ll see you soon.” He stood up and went out of the room, without that smile fading from his lips, and I knew that no, we weren’t going to pretend it didn’t happen.


	12. Chapter 12

In the morning when I walked into the field – later than I did when Sam was my trainer because now we didn’t need all the daytime we had to train –, two pairs of eyes met mine, right after the other.

First, Sam’s, but I saw that it started as a ‘who just walked in?’ look, then his eyes smiled and went back to what he was doing. The second was Marcus’, standing with Ellan and Jill a few metres away from Sam. He met my eyes, and his lips pulled on a mischievous smile and whispered something to Jill, who just shook his head, evidently not believing what Marcus had just said. Marcus continued to say something, crossing his arm. Now Jill just shook his head, scoffing, which then turned into quiet laughter as he walked away.

Today was one of the days Sam held a group training – which was organised by Marcus when he was busy with me all days, the past weeks. All the unit was here, obediently standing in three lines, spaced out in the middle of the field.

When training like this, though I never liked it, on the very first one, they all choose me a spot in the front towards the left side. _Hm, I wonder why ..._ There was a point an hour before lunch when the sun shone right onto the whole of the field, for the next three hours. When this time came, the men started to take their shirts off, resulting in eight topless men and a girl who had no intention of copying them.

When it was lunchtime, we all left to the dining room, in a few minutes’ difference. I was just grabbing some water when someone stepped next to me and leaned against the fence, crossing his arms. I didn’t look aside, I knew who it was from the way he stood, then was sure when he spoke.

“So ... You and the Sergeant, huh?”

I put the mug down and turned to him. “What’s with him and me?”

“A little birdie chirped something.”

A little birdie has a name, and I think I know it.” I crossed my arms.

He pushed away from the fence but remained where he was. “It told me that it saw you last night in the ... close presence of the Sergeant.”

“What a late-night birdie you have there,” I scoffed. He didn’t say anything, he was waiting for me to reply something to what he already knew. “But why would I be in the _close presence_ of the Sergeant? He is my superior.”

“Yes,” he nodded. “He _is_.”

“So, what you suggest is, or rather your little _birdie_ suggests, that I was ... personally involved with the Sergeant, which is not only _not_ allowed, as far as I know, to be involved with your superior; but will result in a ... permanent break from the company. Now, why would I want to be sent away?” He looked surprised by my answer, and he opened his mouth to say something in his defence, but I continued. “Tell your little birdie to be more precise before sending _gossip_ around, or otherwise I’m going to have to test the sharpness of the blades of the swords on him.” I finished and turned and walked away.

***

Going to lunch, fortunately, I crossed paths with Sam, and discretely I nodded to him that I want to talk to him.

“Yes? What happened?”

“Uhm ... I kind of got confronted by one of them, who _apparently_ saw us last night being ‘in the close presence of each other’.” I quoted.

“Marcus?”

“How did you know?”

He scoffed. “He is the only one who would say something like that.”

“Yeah, well, I kinda blurred there, but I want to know,” I started, “if, let’s say, because of this, word got out,” I paused, “what would happen?”

“Well, first, there is no rule against women among soldiers – I can probably count on one hand how many of them are out there –, but there are no particular rules on ... relationships among the soldiers,” he said. “Let them gossip, let them guess. It would soon die down.”

I remained silent, chewing on his words. “There are rules?” I asked, finally.

“Well, just a few. Like, ‘always be prepared to act in self-defence’, ‘use minimum force to carry out a mission’, ‘treat all persons with dignity and respect’,” he said. “There is nothing to worry about, we have done nothing wrong. Rather the opposite,” he leaned closer. “I would say we have done everything right.” He pulled away to a safe distance and smiled.

I nodded, and we headed to lunch.


	13. Chapter 13

“I got the letter,” Sam said during lunch, about a month later.

“What letter?”

“The official letter of my leave in a month.” He gulped down the remaining of his drinks.

“Didn’t you say you had four months left?” I asked, putting a forkful of food into my mouth.

“They oversaw the case and decided to let me leave earlier,” he said.

My appetite had just disappeared, and the food didn’t look as inviting as it did before. I put my fork down. “Good for you.”

“Lena ... What’s up?” Sam softened his tone.

“I just wish I had an excuse to leave too. I’m practically _forced_ to be here. With no knowledge, if I could ever leave.” I threw my hands in the air, then let them fall onto the table. A couple of people looked our way, but after I waved and smiled, they went back to their lunch and conversation.

“You are not forced to be here.” Sam leaned in and continued quieter.

“No? Then what do you call telling someone to join some pretty prince’s army, in return for his protection over my people?” I asked, tilting my head. “Because that’s what happened,” I added.

Sam leaned back in his chair. I saw he was trying to come up with something to reply. “That’s tough,” he then said.

“Tell me about it,” I mumbled, looking down to my lunch, and still not having the appetite for it, so I finally pushed the plate away.

“You want to go home?” He asked.

“As much as I enjoy my time being here most of the times,” I started, “yes. I would like to go back home to my father and all my friends. I miss them.”

“We’ll figure something out.” He brushed his fingers against mine for just a second, but it was all I needed now.

***

“What if I forge a letter of ... something that happened at home? As if it came from there?” I asked him after dinner, on our way back to the huts.

“No. That’s not going to work in multiple ways.” He shook his head.

“Why?”

“First, I’m sure he has some men watching the place. However unbelievable he looks, he is a man of his word. If he says that he will protect your people in return for you staying, then he is. Second, all letters go to only one person, and not to the individuals. That person gives them out,” he said.

“What if someone was to come and give the letter in? Like ... a messenger.” I kept thinking.

“No. When the messenger approaches the county border, some men deliver the letters in the county. We have our own, who brings all the letters to the training centres.” He explained.

I grimaced. “Well, there goes that plan.” He put his hand on my back, comforting me.

We arrived at my hut but stopped in front of the wide-open door. One glance at each other, then Sam’s hands were on his sword, alert, but I just marched in, straight back. I looked around, but no one was inside. I checked the wardrobe and under the bed, but nothing. However, my hut was turned upside down.

The chairs on the floor, one of them broken. The table moved from its place, also the wardrobe. My bed was too, but the bedding and the mattress were torn. The washbowl on the floor, broken, along with the jug.

Sam stepped in too. He scanned the place, then looked at me. “Wha – Who would do this? And why?” Realising that I left my vest, cape and weapons in here and I didn’t see them around, I looked in the wardrobe where I put them. One day I saw the backboard's corner broken off, and when I peeled it away, I noted a narrow back compartment. I hid my weapons there, and the rest of my stuff normally in the wardrobe, in front of it. Checking its place now, I see that everything was where I left it.

“Has anything been taken?” Sam asked.

“Apart from the place I stayed? No. Everything is where I left it,” I said. “They either didn’t find them or wasn’t looking for them.”

Sighing, Sam let go of his sword. “I’ll let them know to restore your hut tomorrow. You could stay at my place tonight,” he added, and I snapped my head at him.

“Really?”

“Unless you want to sleep either on the floor here or out in hut 3.”

Oh, hut 3. That was the smallest, coldest, oldest and scariest hut of them all. It was right on the edge of the area. It was the ‘first’ hut, 1 and 2 were destroyed way back.

“Nope. Thank you.” I grabbed my stuff from the wardrobe. “Let’s go.”

His hut was larger than mine, and that was the first thing I frowned upon when I stepped in. The second was the interior, what he had in there. Sure, he was a Sergeant, but would it be hard to give all the other huts oil lamps, and not candles? Or a slightly bigger bed? Or at least a regular mattress? He had a freaking sofa too! And a mirror!

I put my stuff on one of the chairs. “I want to be a Sergeant too,” I said, referring to all the good stuff there was here.

He laughed. “You should see the Lieutenant’s and the Captain’s rooms. They are in there.” He nodded towards the ‘castle’.

Shaking my head, but a smile sitting on my lips, I grabbed my cape and walked to the sofa, but he grabbed my arm.

He moved closer to me. “It’s not as comfortable,” he mused into my ears.

For a second, I debated. I debated if I should or shouldn’t. He remained close to me, but he teased me with his so-close presence. Lifting my finger, the lock clicked, then the oil lap dimmed. My cape levitated back to the chair while I was turning around to face him, then I looked in his eyes.

“Hmmm ... Yes. It’s not as inviting,” I put my arms around his neck, and I felt his hands on my waist. Our lips brushed each other, but I felt him starting to have enough and just wanting to kiss me, so I let him.

My hands wandered lower, inducing his shirt, and he only broke the kiss, to pull my shirt off and let it fall to the ground. Backing to the bed, he bumped into it, and we fell, me landing on top of him. With a warm smile, I saw appearing on his lips in the dark, he turned us around and continued caressing my lips.


	14. Chapter 14

During training the next day, one of the King’s men marched onto the field.

“Is there something wrong?” Sam lowered his sword and looked at him.

“His Majesty requires your presence, Sergeant,” he said in a high, squeaky voice for a man. Even an old, tall, slim man with square glasses.

“Just mine?” Sam gave the sword to one of his men and stepped forward.

“No, actually. Private Lena’s too,” he added, crossing his hands behind his back, looking natural but smug at the same time. Like he knew something we didn’t and was full of himself because of it.

From the back of the group gathered, my eyes widened. _What could this be about?_ Some of them started to ‘uuu’, but it died down when the newcomer man gave them a piercing look. “Behave yourselves!” His eyes met mine and putting down my sword I walked around the crowd, on the other side Sam was.

The man turned and left the field, I, following him. Sam barked an order to his men to continue the training until he got back and followed us. He took us to the King’s office as it seemed when we stepped in and left right after. The King stood up, hands behind his back, and looked at us looking like he was interested.

“I heard,” he paused. He started remaining standing behind his desk, looking right at us, inside us. “I heard from a source that you stayed in the Sergeant’s hut last night. Did you know that’s not allowed?” He tilted his head.

“I didn’t,” I said, but he gave me a look. “Your Majesty,” I added. “But it is true, the Sergeant did invite me to stay at his hut because mine was trashed.”

“Really?” He asked, and the look he gave me next, and the slight numbness in my head told me that he saw into my thoughts. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sam shift his weight. The King then took his eyes off me and looked at Sam. “How generous,” he said and walked around his desk and stopped in front of it. “But still, you should have reported it. We could have given her a proper place to stay while her hut is restored.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Sam nodded slightly, probably enjoying this as much as I do.

The King looked back at me, then walked in front of me. “I hope he was a good host, looking aside from the rules,” he mused, and I knew he knew.

“He was.”

“And I hope it will not,” he paused, “result in something because I would be sad to let go of a good soldier.” He stepped back, but I knew what he meant. We both remained silent. “Sergeant. I believe I signed you a letter sending you home to care for your family in a month’s time.”

“Yes, you did, Your Majesty,” he said. “And I thank you for it.”

“I am not a heartless man,” he said softly, tilting his head while looking at him. “I had a family I couldn’t save, others shouldn’t have to live the pain I did.”

Sam didn’t say anything.

He looked away from him, then to me again. “My men gave me the latest report on your village.” He tilted his head, and an image appeared in my mind. It was the main street, the widest, where we held our markets twice a year. Everyone was setting their stands up, waving, greeting each other. My father was helping the baker with his stand, and this was the moment I knew this image was fake. My father never helped the baker with his stand because his shop was on the street. He never had a stand.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. He lost contact, and the image disappeared. I took a step towards the King. “That’s a lie!” I spat. “What’s really happening there? Tell me the truth!”

“The truth?” He asked back. “Why don’t you tell me the truth?”

“What?” I frowned. He lifted his head, and when I thought another image is going to appear, nothing did.

“You will not be leaving here,” his voice lost his softness and turned to a demanding tone. “And if you try to leave, your people will suffer the consequences.”

“You cannot threaten me forever with this!” The window burst open and shuffled the papers on the desk. His hair escaped his stylish form, and his cape flapped behind him. “I do not care if you’re some royal or not, you’re just like every other wealthy man! Carving put everything get is valuable, and keeping it in a cage, promising lies!”

“I would choose my words or what I’d do next very carefully,” he said slowly.

“Why? You’d March on my people? I’ve heard that.”

“And who says that it didn’t already happen?” He asked, defeating me. “Now I suggest you go back to doing your daily routine.” He turned around, and I was this close to sending him out of the opened window, but I stepped back and marched out of the study.

Sam looked at me, and I saw there was a whole load of things he wanted to say, but he just looked at me, understanding.

“What if he was to be _accidentally_ fall out of the window?” I asked glancing back to the closed door.

“As promising as that sounds, I don’t think that would solve anything,” he said, hand on my back, leading me away, but I felt he wanted to do it as much as I did.

“I hate Marcus,” I growled.

“I make sure you are _accidentally_ paired with him,” Sam said.

“Hm. Can it _accidentally_ be on a day of training with a _blade_?” I asked.

“Maybe.”

***

As Sam said it would _accidentally_ happen, Marcus and I were paired up with each other that afternoon when Sam divided us into pairs. Since I was a plus one in this unit, Sam didn’t have a pair, he was overseeing us. He did say a couple of weeks ago that I can use one of my swords during this, so that’s what I was doing now. Marcus didn’t stand a chance.

“Everyone!” Sam shouted, hands behind his back. “Remember, this is training, but don’t hold back. The enemy won’t either.” He finished, and we started. Since I trained with Sam in the beginning, I was kind of used to his style, which was giving me everything, to try to defeat his best. Now, Marcus was nowhere near his level, and I did as I would have with Sam, and more. I won three times in the time the others had one match. It helped that I had my own sword, but it also did that he was not as strong as Sam.

“Didn’t I tell you to put as much effort into your technique as you go into your little tricks and betrayal?” I asked as I gazed at his side.

“Good, Lena,” Sam said, walking by. “Marcus, keep up. It would be a shame if word got out that a girl beat you.”

He just let out a slow growl, and charged at me loudly, and scoffing and with a smile, on my lips, I just stepped aside as he stumbled into the fence. Everyone started laughing, and I just pointed my blade at his throat when he turned around.

“No one likes a sore loser and a jealous man,” I mused. “Oh, and tour dead. The fourth time in thirty minutes. By a girl.” I smiled. He growled and gathered his sword. He gave a look to Sam, still standing on the side, hands behind his back, who now lifted a brow. Marcus walked past him and stood in his place. Until the end of the exercise, he didn’t win once.

In the end, when we were putting the equipment away, he approached me. “I don’t know what you think I did–”

“I know exactly, I just don’t know why,” I cut in. “Not that I care, really. It had no effect on ... anything.” I laughed. “So, tell your little birdie to watch its back, because a storm is coming,” I said, and to be more dramatic, I blew a strong wind towards him, and he stumbled back. Realising, his face turned neutral and walked away.


	15. Chapter 15

We talked about my options during meals due to the chatter covering ours. Well, we didn’t really speak, more like I was listing my ideas and he was telling me why that wasn’t possible.

“I give up them.” I let my hands fall on the table. “You tell me something now.”

“Well ... I know by failing on a mission will result in a send-off or being unable to continue serving.” He explained.

“What do you mean?”

“You know when you physically cannot continue your service. Like if you are severely injured, or, women’s case, pregnant ...” He stopped to quickly, and I felt it was also a question.

I shook my head. “You know I can’t.”

He nodded. “Well, it’s either leaving in shame of failing ... or leaving in shame of being unable to carry on.” He shrugged.

“And I can’t even pretend because the son of a–” he gave me a look, “can see my thoughts. He will know I’m plotting and lying before I open my mouth.” He nodded in agreement. “And even though it sounds sooo good, I can’t just run away. I don’t want to find out whether he meant what he said or was just bluffing.”

“Yeah, it’s a risk I wouldn’t take either,” he said, looking down, then he looked up, an idea shining in his eyes. “It’s extra, but there is a way he has to let you leave.”

“What is it?”

He grimaced then sighed. “If we get married.”

My eyes widened. “No offence, but I don’t want to marry you.” A little voice in my head wanted to put the word ‘yet’ to the end of my sentence.

For a split second, he was stunned by my decline, but he continued. “If we pretend. Like, we could believe we would get married, so he can’t see anything else than the plan, maybe overcomplicating it so _if_ he checked out thoughts he will be flooded. But in the end, we don’t really, but he needs to let us go because it would interfere with instead of protecting the king, we’d protect each other.”

“That’s ... a good idea,” I said, stirring my soup. “But it feels wrong. You shouldn’t play with marriage. Who knows who we would anger ...” He remained quiet. “But I’m willing to give it a try if you’re okay with it.”

“I am,” he said quietly.

“Do we need to actually get married or just pretend?”

“Pretend. If we consider he only reads our thoughts, and cannot see into our past, we only need to make it look like it’s real,” he said.

“All right.” I leaned back, finished with both my meal, and plan to get out.

We decided we’d do it close to his leave, so we don’t have to spend much time here, pretending. He took care of everything, involving only one person who would supposedly marry us. He was a loyal friend of Sam’s and agreed to do it if it meant getting me out of here. It would happen two days before he leaves, in five days. Until then, we carried on as usual.

When the day came, I gathered my stuff, and he did the same, and we met in the stables to ride to the meeting place. I left before him, but the guard stopped me again. “Off to a late-night ride?”

“We are,” I said.

“‘We’?” He asked back just when Sam walk up leading his horse.

“Yes,” he said.

“Of course, Sergeant. Have a good ride.” The guard stepped aside.

We were there earlier than we planned, but Sam’s friend was already there. He didn’t tell us if he married us it would be real or not, because Sam asked him, but we both knew it wouldn’t be.

“Ready?” He asked, and we stood in front of each other. He did everything as it would be done at a real thing, but it felt strange. When we were done, before we went back, we had another something to take care of to make it seem real.

The next day, Sam wanted a meeting with the King, and when he accepted, he only accepted him, not me. I didn’t mind, really, but I was nervous. The ring on my finger, which was just a piece of round metal, felt hot now. There was no way for me to hear their conversation, so I just distracted myself with training.

I was so concentrated on it that I didn’t hear or see him walk up to me, and that almost resulted in losing his head.

“What did he say?” I asked.

“First, I’d like to keep my head, thank you.”

“Sorry.” I put my sword down.

“That blade looks very deadly, I’m jealous.” He looked at it.

“Sam!”

“He believed it.” He handed me a letter. I quickly read through it, which stated our immediate leave from the company.

“He believed it.” I echoed, looking up from the letter.

He smiled. “Get your things. We’re going home.”


	16. Chapter 16

We mounted our horses and made sure we had everything we needed, and we were off. It took us four days to get to my village, which was closer than his home. But everything I thought could happen to them while I wasn’t home, I didn’t imagine what I saw.

There was no village. Only blackened ruins.

I practically fell off my horse in shock, running to where my father’s house once stood. It was half burnt down, with everything in it. I saw no one around, only a flag flapped in the wind on top of the ruins.

The flag of His Majesty.

I fell to my knees and didn’t hold my tears back. Sam walked up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “Lena?” I looked up to him. “They’re fine.”

I stood up. “Don’t toy with me!”

“No, they are.” He nodded. “When I sent word to my friend about our plans, I sent a letter here, too, warning them about a possible attack, which would result in fatalities around this day.” He explained. “They are long gone, and he only torched their empty homes.”

I looked back to the house, and I saw that only the burnt furniture was in there. I stepped in and checked the storages to see nothing in them. Not even ashes. “Then, where are they?” I turned back to him.

“At my home.”

“Then why was this trip necessary?” I shouted. “Why put through me this? Why not tell me sometime in the past _four_ _days_?” He didn’t answer, and I calmed myself. “But, thank you,” I continued softer. “For doing that.” Maree trotted up to me and nuzzled her head against my hand. “Don’t tell me you knew too.” She whinnied, and I took that as a no.

We got onto our horses and carried on towards his home.

“I wanted you to see that I was wrong,” he said. “That he didn’t always keep his word.”

“I already knew that,” I answered. “But I understand.” I sighed relieved. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“I just followed a feeling.” He shrugged.

It took us a week to get there because it was in the mountains, stopping at markets and villages to get supplies. I had no idea where we were going, even though I sort of knew the mountain area because of the trips we took here with my father. I kept asking him where he is going, but he just said, “You’ll see,” so I just left it at that after a while.

We were deep in the mountains, sometimes the air turning cold around us because of the lack of sun, even though it was a time when the weather was always hot.

“We’re here,” he said when we arrived out of the mountains. There was a village surrounded by the mountains, slightly below us. There was a wide enough path on the hill, encircling the town, ending at the front of the village, where there was a clear space.

A few people came out to greet us, including my father and Sam’s brother, father and grandma. I jumped off, Maree and into my father’s arms.

“Lena, my little child. I missed you so,” he said, stroking my hair. He let me go and looked at me from top to bottom, then stopped on my hand. He lifted it and lifted a brow. “What’s that?” He nodded to the metal ring on my finger.

I reached to take it off, and I put it in my pocket. “That was my ticket out.”

“Lena,” Sam called me over. My father held Maree and nodded to go.

“Lena!” The old lady greeted and gave me a gentle hug.

“This is my grandmother,” Sam said.

“I saw your coming.” She smiled.

“She is also a Seer,” he added, leaning in.

She gave a look to him, then looked back to me. “I am so happy for you.”

“Uhh. For what? We really just fooled him.” I smiled.

“No. Not for that.” She smiled and held my hand in hers. “You’re with child, my dear.”

I removed my hand and stepped back, shocked. “No. I – I can’t. I can’t bear a child anymore.” I looked at Sam, looking equally shocked. There was an awkward silence between us all, and I looked to my father. From his expression, I saw he remembered the last time, and how it ended. He didn’t seem angry or disappointed, he looked ... happy.

“Let me show you where you will be staying.” Sam’s grandma linked her arms with me and led me away. She chatted throughout our way to the house I will stay in. My father followed us after he took care of Maree. It was his house, as I realised when he followed us. There were two rooms in there, one for him one for me. She left, smiling, and I was left with my father.

My eyes tearing up, I stepped to him and hugged him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t know,” I breathed.

“There is no need to be sorry.” He pulled away. “Do you love him?”

“I don’t know what I feel for him. That’s not important right now,” I said.

“It is now.” He nodded. “Would you like him to be the father of your child?”

For a moment, I remained silent, then nodded. “Yes.”

“But you don’t love him,” he said.

“It’s–” I sighed. “I don’t know if I love him.” He didn’t answer, he just drew me closer and hugged me.

***

Later that day, Sam came by our house, and though I wanted my dad to step out, he just looked at Sam, neutral, then went back to his wood carving. We went into my room, but after my father gave me a look, I left the door open a little. I couldn’t believe him ...

Sam stepped closer and lifted my hands. “Sam, really, I didn’t know. I would have told you otherwise.” My father suggested I see Elin to see if everything is all right. She told me I have been pregnant for a few months, so it probably happened around the second time we were together.

“I believe you.” Sam nodded. “How long?”

“About two months.” He put a hand on my belly, but there was nothing to feel yet. I didn’t notice because my stomach didn’t grow as much as it would be expected.

He took his hand away. “I know our situation isn’t ... the usual, but I still would like to be the baby’s father.” He looked hopeful.

I knew why he was asking. When a child was born out of marriage, the mother could’ve decided if the father can be in their lives. We believed until the marriage, the child is the mother’s.

“You will be.” I smiled. “You won’t escape from this. It’s yours just as much as it is mine.”

He smiled too and hugged me tightly. Then we heard my father clear his throat in the doorway.

“Yes?” I asked, smiling. Sam pulled away slightly, but his arm remained around me.

“Unless he is staying, he should leave now. Tomorrow is another long day for some of us.”

“ _Can_ I stay?” He asked.

“No.”

“Yes.” My father and I said it at the same time. Sam looked at him, and after kissing me good night, he left.

I looked at him, disapprovingly. “What? You’re still my little girl, practically in my house, and I don’t know the guy.” He extended his arms. “Give me a little time.”


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning, my dad was gone when I woke up. He briefly told me yesterday that almost all the men here were working in the nearby mine. They couldn’t farm here, so they lived off by selling what they mined.

Not knowing where I should be, what should do, I dressed and went outside. I went around the place, surprised when the women doing house chores, smiled at me as I passed them. A little thought blackened my mind that I would be like that too once this baby is born; tied to the house and raising it, while Sam would be out working, providing.

There was a path between the mountain walls. There was a post with some writing and a symbol on it, but it looked old, and though I couldn’t read it, I knew the symbol. A bird in flight, with wavy lines behind it. It was the mark of the Hawks. The strange thing was that the board was pointing to the path. I looked behind me, but then I walked down the trail.

So, this place was not found now by them but has always been theirs, and they just retreated here when it was needed. I wondered how long they have lived here for ...

The path widened, and a clearing appeared in front of me. There was an elevated plate in the middle, which was a perfectly round shape. On the walls, there were faded paintings, but so old I couldn’t tell what they were. It was an open space, and the sun shone onto the place, making it glimmer.

Walking into the middle plate, I noticed carvings all around it. Extending my arms and turning smoothly, my arms following my body, I created wind to remove the dust from the place.

The paintings on the walls became clearer, and I walked closer. The first one, right next to the path, was of a man standing in this place. He was bald and wearing a light blue robe. His hands were in fists and touched in front of him. He seemed ready to fight, but his face was calm and peaceful.

The second one was somewhere in front of a building. On the top of the building was the same symbol as on the post, the Hawk’s symbol. There was a group of people in front of the building, all wearing the same light blue robes. They were not all men, some were women, and I know only because the men had no hair, like the man in the first painting, while the women had their hair pulled the back. They were bowing in front of someone who stood in front of the building, looking at them. I realised he was the same man from the first painting but in a different robe. It was more decorated, and slightly darker colour.

The third was in a similar place to this, the same elevated plate, just not surrounded by a mountain. A group of people like on the second one was in the middle of a movement and swirls were in front of them, symbolising the moving air. The fourth and final one was of the war six hundred years ago.

“It tells the story of our ancestors,” someone said behind me. Sam’s grandma was standing in the mouth of the path. “What led you here?”

“I – I was just walking around the village when I came upon the path.”

“The winds were guiding you here.” She stepped forward. I was never the type to follow the spiritual path of the wind, or really believe it, but I wasn’t blind to it either. I knew there was something more significant than had granted us the power a long time ago, blessed us.

“You are of the wind, aren’t you?”

A small nod. “I am.”

“You know, I didn’t really see _you_ at first, I just saw a girl walk into my grandson’s life and redirect him.” She stopped in front of me.

“Is that a bad thing?” I asked.

“That depends.” She tilted her head. “My visions then started to become clearer. I saw the girl will be of wind, then one day, I saw it was you.” She started to go around. “This place was built by the very first of ours. These paintings were painted by them, telling the story of ancient times.” She stopped in front of the last one, the one of the war. “Most of us forgot our past, and only uses our power for our benefit,” she looked at me, “but I knew the moment you walked into our village, that you indeed would redirect him, for the better.” She stepped in front of me and put her hand on my heart. “You have a good heart, and I know you will follow it no matter what.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, confused.

“It’s unsure, but your fate will turn.”

“Which way?”

“That depends on you.” She pointed to my heart and took her hand away. “What I see is not always what is going to happen.” She put her hands together in front of her, and walked away, down the path we came.

I looked around the paintings, and I noticed something on the first painting. Towards the bottom of the wall, a rock seemed out of place. I stepped in front of it to remove it, but it didn’t move. I noticed a carving on it. It was three swirls, in a circle, the symbol of wind. Giving it a shot, I stood up and creating a swirl around it, I wanted to lift it up, and it worked.

Behind it was a hole in the wall on the bottom. It was just enough for my hand to fit in. I felt something resembling paper in there, and when I pulled it out, I noticed it was a scroll. It had a light blue cover with the Hawk’s symbol on it.

I considered opening it, but I didn’t know if I should since I was not part of them. I looked down to it again, and now the symbol disappeared. I turned it around to see if I might have just rolled it, but no, it wasn’t on it anymore.

Exhaling nervously, I rolled it out. There were mainly illustrations on it, but there was some writing in a language I couldn’t read next to them, like notes.

“What is that?” I jumped when someone spoke from my left. I dropped the scroll, and it rolled back together, the symbol appearing on it again.

“Sam! You scared me.” I stood up and handed him the scroll. “I, uhm ... I found this in there.” I pointed to the hole. “I’m sorry, I probably shouldn’t have touched it.” I looked down.

“You found this? There?” he asked disbelievingly.

“Y – yes?”

“I have been here a thousand times, turned every rock, literally, searching the entire place for this.” He shook it in his hand.

“It was hidden behind that rock. I couldn’t lift it, and it had the symbol of wind on it, so I tried with wind,” I said quickly.

He looked up and around. “It looks ... cleaner.”

“It was dusty.” I shrugged, and he looked at me, surprised.

“Do you realise what you just found?” He shook it in his hand again.

“A scroll with pictures?”

“Pictures?” He shook his head, sidetracked. “This is a scroll that the Ancient ones hid. There are six others, and we have all of them, but this one.”

“But what does it tell? It was a language I couldn’t read,” I said.

“You couldn’t read it?”

I shook my head. “Maybe because I’m not a descendant.”

“Maybe.” He lowered his hand. “These tell the story of how the war started. Why our ancestors were targeted. This is the last piece, this unfolds the truth,” he said. “If they don’t already love you, they are going to now.” He smiled and kissed my forehead. “But what are you doing here? How did you find this place?”

“‘The winds were guiding me’.” I copied his grandma.

“My grandma told you that?” He laughed.

“She came soon after me. She probably saw me wander off.” I shrugged. “But what are you doing here?”

“I come here sometimes to clear my head.”

“What’s troubling you?” I tilted my head. He looked down and laughed. “What?”

He shook his head but looked up. “We’re having a baby, and I–” He shook his head again.

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

“I do. I don’t know where we're going to live; where it would sleep; what we’re going to name it. I don’t even know if it would–” He stopped.

“If it would what?”

“I worry about you. Even here.” He lifted my hands. “Who knows who followed us, who saw us come this way. Even though you can only find this place straight away if you know where it is, but it would be only a matter of time for someone to find it–” He stopped quickly.

“Sam,” I put my hand on his cheek. “Nothing’s going to happen with the baby or me.” I removed my hand and looked down. “History doesn’t repeat itself.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t.”


	18. Chapter 18

“Sam!”

“It’s safe, and you would still do something while being here.” He took his hands off my shoulders. “You asked me if I have something for you to do.”

“ _This_ is not what I meant.” I motioned to the side. He sighed. “Listen, I understand your worry for me, but don’t think I’m helpless. I will not stand being put to the sidelines. I want to go too. I could learn something too.”

“I don’t think you’re helpless,” he said and sighed again. “If I talk to the masters, would that be fine with you?”

“Fine. Talk to them.” I crossed my arms. He left to the masters standing in a group under the second painting. I saw him mentioning towards me, and them nodding after. His face, when he was walking back, was the opposite of mine. He was not happy with their decision, whereas I was, but I tried to hide it.

“Just stay near me, okay?”

“I have had training like this before, though not in a group this big, or with more than two other people ... but everything else fits.” I smiled.

“The first time you fall, you’re not continuing.”

“Sam!” I said, warningly.

“I don’t want you to get hurt.” He put his hand on my showing stomach.

“Sam!” I was getting annoyed with him now.

“Fine!” He looked up and around. “I give up. But still. Be careful.” He pointed at me, then I followed him to the plate, and towards the back, near the fourth painting.

We had been here for three weeks now, and he only just mentioned this training they had every week. Whoever wanted could join their practice with their power. They trained the traditional way, the way their ancestors did. I tried to join, but Sam thought it would be too dangerous. I finally convinced him that nothing would happen to me. I have practised before, and nothing happened. Though, indeed, I wasn’t carrying a child back then ...

It was like a dance, really. Swift and everchanging movements like the wind itself. I remember seeing it being done when I was little. It was beautiful. How they moved all together how the air danced around them ... But it was different being a part of it. It felt more empowering than just watching it from the side. There were people, the loved ones of those who were practising, standing around, watching. Though we created much dust from our surroundings, it was just flowing around with our wind, not on its own.

I made mistakes throughout the practice, when I didn’t know the move or remembered it differently, or just simply made a wrong step, but luckily, I wasn’t the only one as far as I saw.

Although I have done it before, though not with this large of a group, it was years and years ago, and I forgot. This was a perfect situation to start practising it again, to recall it.

By the end of it, I was exhausted. They held this once a week for two two-hour sessions, and everyone could’ve joined. We went to grab some water.

“Are you still, all right?” Sam asked.

“Sam! Please.” I gave him a look. “I really am. I enjoyed this. It was great doing something like this again.”

“I always forget that you haven’t lived with them all your life, that you had a family before this, and you practised.” He looked down.

“Sometimes, even I do, too.” I agreed. “It feels more than twelve years ago, but I am grateful for the people who took me in.” I looked to my father being one of the few watching. “I will never forget my birth family, but he is my future.”

“And you two are mine.” He kissed my forehead, then my belly, and our little baby growing inside.


	19. Chapter 19

I realised that since I will be pretty much living here permanently, I need to contribute to the community in some way. I have talked to Sam about it, and though he didn’t want me to work, however small work it may have been, I convinced him otherwise. Sometimes I feel bad for disobeying him most of the times, but I just _cannot_ stand being put to the sidelines, not being useful or not doing something.

One time, when I had a very dull week, I sneaked out at night to the place with the paintings to practice. Not my power, physically, with a sword. Sam and I have found a home for us a few weeks before, so I knew I didn’t have much time, maybe a few hours before he woke up. He is a light sleeper.

He came looking for me earlier than I thought, and of course, that place was his first guess. He was just worried about me. I was still capable of doing everything, but he acted as though I was not. We had an argument, and though he made very good points, I stood up for myself. That was the first time I saw him angry. He was really crossed, and even took my swords and spear away and hid them so, that I still don’t know where they are.

So, since I had nothing _interesting_ to do, I needed something to distract me. Like work. So, Sam talked to people, and finally, he came up with a job that was meeting my standards and was safe, according to him. I was put to oversee the food rationing.

Among other women, my job was to make sure we had enough of everything. Every three months they went out and collected everything we won’t have enough for the next three months. Of course, they didn’t let me go with them on collecting the food, and I sort of understood it now. When that time came, I was five months pregnant. We had everything ready for the newcomer, only his or her name was missing. We had a few ideas, but neither of them felt they were the right ones.

Over the time I had left from delivering the baby, every minute I had, my mind was working. On names; on how our lives are going to be; if we can live here forever or we could go elsewhere; if my father will ever accept Sam, though they started to bond; if I could do this ...

My mind started to go evil from time to time, scaring me into thinking this is not what I wanted, this is not what’s for me; and urging me to go, get away from here, but deep down I know that my place _is_ here. But every time this happens, even though I know the truth, I end up doubting and asking myself, ‘Is this really what I want?’

***

One morning I woke up having a strange feeling.

I went to work, as usual, doing the ordinary things, and around four hours later into the day, something happened.

The baby was coming.

But it was two weeks early.

The women rushed to me and helped me back to the medical hut – and long story short and without the painful details – hours later, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

Sam was at work, all this time, but they said they have notified him and he will come.

The moment I held my daughter for the first time, a name popped into my head, fitting her perfectly.

It was an hour later when Sam arrived, calm, but I saw the eagerness in his eyes. He sat down on the side of my bed and caressed my arm.

“How are you?”

“We’re fine.” I smiled. “Do you want to hold her?” He smiled and stood to step next to me. I gave her over to him, and he ever-so-gently held her. “I found her name,” I added. He looked at me, curious to find out. “Ellie.” He smiled at it.

“Ellie?” He brushed her little pink cheeks, trying out her name. “I love it.” Hearing her new name, she opened her eyes and extended her arms upwards, stretching. Cooing, she moved her eyes to Sam, and looked at him, curiously. “Hi, little one. I’m Sam. Your father,” he mused to her. He looked back at me and handed her back.

“My only concern is,” I started, quietly, rocking her, “how soon will her powers be showing?” I looked up to Sam.

“How do you know she will have any?” He asked back, putting his arm around my shoulder.

I gave him a look. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s not like her father is one of the powerful families of wind, and her mother is of the same power. Nah, she won’t have any powers, you’re right.”

He nudged me. “Nice to see you haven’t lost your sarcasm.” He looked down to Ellie, right when I did. She was slowly falling back to sleep, holding my finger in her hands.

“She looks like you,” he said, caressing my shoulder. “Just as beautiful.” He kissed the top of my head, not removing his eyes from us.


	20. Chapter 20

The next day I was well enough to go home. Since everything was already waiting for Ellie, it was easy. She slept through the day, only waking up to eat so I could’ve had some sleep too.

But the next day, and the next, and the next three were the same. And the next week too. Even though I was very happy that I had Ellie, and Sam was just fantastic, getting the hang of being a father, I was getting bored between the times he left to work and came home.

We did go on walks while she was in a carrier, and visited my father when he was available, but our days were mostly of either sleeping and eating and dirtying nappies, or washing clothes making dinner and napping. I was afraid of this. Fearful of becoming this ... monotone routine without a purpose other than raising her ...

Sam gave me a kiss when he got home, followed by Ellie receiving one on her forehead. He looked around, brow raised.

“Yes, uhm, she was in a particularly not caring mood that she didn’t have that many clothes to change into and was feely ... dirtying it any way she could.” I put my hands on my waist.

He chuckled. “I see.” He sat down and started to take his dirty boots and jacket off.

I looked down and started playing with my shirt’s hem. “There – there are some leftovers from lunch. Late lunch, more like.”

“Don’t worry, I already ate.” He went over to the washbowl to clean up.

I said nothing. A little awkward silence fell between us, and just when I opened my mouth to say something, Ellie started crying. Closing my mouth, I turned around and left to see what the fuss was about this time.

A few minutes and Sam joined us. “I have something planned for tomorrow.” He breathed near my ear.

“What?”

“A little trip.” He stepped around and stopped in front of us. “I saw how ... how you looked when I got home every day, so I planned to take us on a riding trip out the mountains. Just you and me. Your father is going to take care of Ellie while we’re gone.”

“But I can’t leave her alone for that long.” I objected. “At least not yet.” He looked at me, his eyes gently telling me to be happy about it. “But I suppose I could leave her for a couple of hours, that is my father will obey my instructions.”

“He did raise you so I wouldn’t worry about a thing,” he said.

“Yes. He raised a nine-year-old girl into a fine looking, well-behaved lady,” I said, and though half-sarcastically, Sam cleared his throat, clearly not catching it. “Is there something you disagree with?”

“I can’t argue with the ‘fine looking lady’ part,” he stood up, “But ‘well behaved’?” He took Ellie from my arms and put her in the crib. She reached for her stuffed toy and was instantly engaged by it. Sam pulled me closer by my waist, leaving his arms around me. “I’m not sure about that.”

“Why?” I asked softly.

“Well, a _lady_ is not supposed to know how to handle a spear, let alone a sword or two.”

“It always comes in handy when you gentlemen are in your ... more violent behaviour,” I mused.

“‘Violent’?” He asked back, pretend-stunned.

“What would you call trying to take down a girl with a wooden sword?” I asked, knowing the truth well.

His lips pulled to a smirk and leaned to my ear. I thought he will say something, but he just kissed the skin on my neck, under my ear. I squealed quietly, but I saw Ellie move his eyes on us while chewing on the stuffed bunny’s ear.

“Not here, Sam.” I stepped back, smiling.

“She is the one invading.” He leaned to her and kissed her forehead. She reached after him, and my eyes widened on what happened. When she extended her arm, Sam’s hair was messed up once he straightened up. Like as if he came from outside and it was windy. Also, I _felt_ the draught too. Since there was no window open, and it wasn’t me, it could only be her.

“Now that just makes it better.” I put my hands on my waist while Sam set his hair back to how it was, chuckling.

“Wha-at?” He asked, still chuckling.

“Nothing.” I waved it off. “I don’t want you going around, changing the interiors, missy. The winds stay out of this house.” I pretend-scolded her, and she just looked at me, still chewing that bunny’s ear. Scoffing but smiling, I brushed the back of my hand against her arm, then Sam’s and I left to our room. We changed into our nightclothes and went to bed. I asked Sam about tomorrow, what exactly had he planned, but he said, ‘I will see’.

I don’t like surprises ...


	21. Chapter 21

Turns out he had agreed with my father that he will take care of Ellie while we are away. It will only be for the day, but I kept bombarding him with orders on how to do what for her. He kept assuring me they will be fine, and repeatedly told me that if I don’t get out of the house now, and go and enjoy my time with Sam, he is going to kick me out. He meant literally because he animated his words.

Chuckling, I hugged him and kissed Ellie good-bye, and accepting Sam’s extended hand, we headed to the stables, where Maree was waiting for me all saddled up already.

We headed out of the mountains, and towards the woods nearby, but we had a plain before us and that, and when we stepped onto it, a knot appeared in my stomach and didn’t let go.

“You look like you’re about to throw up.” Sam looked my way. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. I have this ... knot in my stomach.” I looked to him, then back ahead.

“Stop worrying about Ellie. She’ll be fine with your father.” He reached for my hand. “My grandmother and brother will be with them, I told them to keep them company. As well as protection.” He smiled.

I nodded, closing my eyes for a second. “Thank you,” I whispered and expected the knot to disappear, but it didn’t. It stayed rooted. “But that’s not it.”

“What then?”

“I don’t know. A ... strange feeling.” I sighed and put a smile on. “But I’m sure it’s going to go away soon. It may not even be what I think it is, I may have just eaten something bad.”

“Maybe.” He gave my hand a gentle squeeze and took it away to gather his reigns.

Wherever we were headed, we got there in a short time. Our journey was quiet after our conversation, but it was a comforting silence. When I saw the place that was our destination, after I got off Maree, I was frozen, stunned by the view.

“Sam ...” I looked at him.

“Do you like it?”

I walked up to him and hugged him. “I do.” I turned back around to the scenery.

We were in the woods, in a place where the trees were positioned lighter, providing more space among them. May it be because of the sun, I didn’t know, but the place looked like it was glowing. All the trees were shining bright, the ground and the very air around us. There was a lake in the back, I knew that because the water was glistening in the sunlight.

I turned back to Sam. “I thought you’re of wind, not of light.” I chuckled.

“You’re correct.” He nodded and started stepping towards the crystal-clear lake. “It’s magical, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” I looked around. “It is.”

***

After a good goofing around and multiple splashes in the water, we were resting on the grass, enjoying the sunlight, even though it wasn’t the warmest up here.

Sam stood up, and I sat up, following him with my eyes as he took his shirt and put it back on. “Awww ... Are we leaving?”

He looked at me, then sat back down in front of me. He leaned close, his finger lifting my chin, his lips inches away from mine. “No, unless you want to.” His lips were brushing mine now, and just when he breathed a soft kiss on them, came a rush of cold wind. It shuffled the leaves on the ground, made the water of the lake crush waves on the rocks around it. The leaves on the trees rustled and sounded like they were crying out in pain, someone else’s pain.

I looked at Sam, confused, panicked. “What was that?” I breathed.

He frowned and stood up, and I did too, just when another wave of that cold wind blew. Sam just stood there, looking towards where the winds came from, seemingly waiting. I looked the way he was looking, but I didn’t see what he was looking at. When I was about to ask, another and final rush of wind came, and Sam was instantly on his horse.

“Sam?”

“Saddle up! I’ll tell you on the way,” he said, already galloping away.

I got onto Maree, bareback as I didn’t want to waste time with saddling her up – and we were faster this way. I caught up to him in minutes. He had a serious expression, raged, I can say.

“Sam! Talk to me. What was that? Why are we rushing back?”

“One’s a friend, two’s unknown, three’s an attack,” was all he said, but that was enough for me to understand. Is was a signal. For an attack.

I urged Maree to go faster, but we had to slow down among the mountains. We couldn’t just gallop in, but a slow trot was not fast enough.

Slower than we wanted to, we arrived at the clearing, seeing our worst nightmare. Soldiers, armed, fighting against Sam’s and my people, most of them unarmed and forced to be dragged away to who-knows-where.

We galloped down and into the fighting, kicking and trashing the soldiers away. I didn’t take my weapons with us, but Sam did have his sword – which I didn’t know of –, so now I was galloping back to our house to grab them.

Standing at the door was when I realised that Sam hid them and still didn’t tell me where they were. Grunting and kicking into the door, I started looking for them, looking under and behind everything, when I finally found them behind the counter in the kitchen. Hidden in plain sight, in a place where I am for most of the day. I’d say clever, but I don’t have time for that now.

Grabbing my spear, swords and knives – all there, all fine – I put my best and jacket on for protection – I modified them a little with the help of Sam’s grandma for it to be better in protecting me from slashes and now it had compartments along the side for little knives which I didn’t have yet.

Sprinting out of the house and into my father’s – knocking a few soldiers out of my way – I stormed in.

The crib was empty, even her blanket and bunny were gone. I checked the house, I checked every possible hiding place, but it seemed like someone did that before me.

Panicking and trashing and shouting, I stormed out of the house. Rage and panic growing inside me rapidly, I looked around as I stepped out. If they weren’t here, I didn’t know where they could be.

I was about to turn the whole village upside down to look for them, when something dropped from the roof onto the street between the houses, a few metres away from me.

It was a soldier.

I looked up to the roof, seeing my father slide down on it and landing smoothly. I approached him, my spear in one of my hands and a sword in the other.

“Where is she?” I asked – shouted at him.

He reached behind his back, and Ellie was there, in the carrier, ties to him. “Sam’s grandma helped me with ... this,” he motioned to the carrier, “right before it happened.”

I extended my hands to her, but he shook her head. “You’d most likely be targeted since you look like the other men fighting.” I bit down my cry. “She’ll be safer with me.”

“I’m not fighting, I just want to get her to safety.” I softened my voice. “I can’t lose her. And you’re a better fighter than me.” I extended him my sword.

We exchanged, and I tied the carrier on so Ellie was on my back, hidden under my cape. She was sleeping deeply, which I found absurd and ironic, considering what is going down now.

“Why did they attack?” I asked, tightening the strap. “And who are they?”

“The same who burnt down our village,” he said and started leading us out of the street.

“How do you know?”

“I recognised their uniforms.”

“Are they ... Do they have powers?” I asked just when a house caught on fire. The flames reached to the sky. “I guess they do,” I said as none of us is of fire, so only the soldiers could have been that.

“The others are going on a secret pathway.” He grabbed my shoulder. “Go to the place and through the third painting on the wall.”

“Through the mountain wall?” I frowned.

A troop of soldiers ran down on the street behind us, and he didn’t have time to answer, just to shout, “Go!”

I didn’t hesitate, checking Ellie was still sleeping, turning my spear in my hand, and headed to the practice place.

I was just yards away from the path there, when a wall of fire shot up both sides next to me, torching my cape’s hem. With a wave of wind, I distinguished it as well as knocked the two soldiers off their feet, but not before one of them shot a ball of fire towards me and knocked me down. I turned mid-air not to land on my back and landed on my shoulder.

Swallowing back my cry of pain, I stood up and shot icy wind towards them, freezing them in their standing places, arms extended, but I didn’t know they can still create fire being frozen in ice, so they broke out in seconds.

I heard and saw everyone else fight their way through the soldiers. People of wind, fighting with their powers as well as with their swords, helping those who had no powers. The soldiers, along with our people, were falling, and either standing up and continuing or remaining laying there.

That half-a-second I looked away from the two soldiers before me, has cost me my position as in one of them shot another ball of fire towards me right after I blocked the others. I landed face down on the ground as I, again, turned in mid-air not to fall on my back, on Ellie. This time, I heard her cry out, waking.

The soldiers stopped, looked at each other, then at me, surprised. I stood upright when the wind blew them off their feet and away. Sam was standing not far from me, arms extended, panting.

I ran to him and gave him a hug. When I stepped away, I noticed the blood on his shirt. He saw that I did and put his hand up. “It’s not mine.”

“We got to get to the sa–” I couldn’t finish because Sam stepped around me and blocked a soldier’s blow who sneaked up behind me. Just a second after someone yanked on my cape and he ripped it off, revealing Ellie in the carrier. “Sam!” I shouted for him, but he was occupied with the soldier and his partner.

I tried to keep the soldier attacking me occupied, but I was distracted. Ellie was vulnerable, and I lost my focus to fight because I was focusing on keeping her out of shot, and this cost me.

He hit me in the head with the pommel of his sword when I wanted to strike my spear to his side and landed on the ground. I couldn’t get up; my head was pounding. The sight before my eyes started to blacken out, then come back, then go away again.

I called for Sam, but I might have been too quiet told he wasn’t here because he didn’t come. I didn’t see the soldiers anymore, and when I wanted to stand up, the world went black with pain striking in my head again.

***

I woke up with ringing ears and a pounding head. I spotted my spear a few feet away, grabbed it and used it to stand up. Only then did I notice that it is lighter to move.

Ellie’s gone.

I looked around to find her if she was about or to find anyone, but no one was near me. I started walking around, towards the middle of the village, when I heard people’s quiet chatter.

“Lena!” Someone shouted, and I heard footsteps. My father came running to me. “Where were you?”

I looked around the handful of people sitting or lying there wounded, but they were all alive. “Where is Ellie?” I asked weakly.

“Where _is_ Ellie?” Sam emerged from behind one of the houses with a frown.

My eyes started to tear up. I looked down. “She’s been taken.”

He kept quiet, stunned. When I looked up, tears rolling down my cheeks, but rage building up in me. I folded my spear and started marching towards the way out.

“Don’t bother.” Sam’s grandma stopped me with her hand on my shoulder. “There is no way out. They locked us in her.”

I looked towards the way out and saw that the boulders from the mountain were blocking the way out. I turned back to them.

“You forget we are of wind.” I stepped forward and looked up. The mountain was only around us, above us was the sky with the clouds. I looked back down and to Sam. “I don’t care at what cost, I will get her back.” I looked around. “You can either join me or get out of my way.” I stopped on Sam, who looked at me neutrally.

I have never tried it, but I know of a technique, which I studied, that, by collecting the wind around me, would lift me up to the air, making me fly.

I knew how to do it, I just never tried it, never had the chance, never had the courage. But now I had the courage and the adrenaline to do it. No matter the cost, I will get Ellie back.

Whit the swirling movement of my hands by my side, the wind came to me, collecting under my feet, around my legs, and finally lifting me up as I lifted my hands.

Just as I was a few metres above the ground, something pulled me down. I wasn’t losing control, someone was intentionally stopping me. I landed on the ground, facing Sam whose arms were extended towards me.

“You cannot go alone.”

“Well, you’re not even willing to try to leave here. You could have gone after them a long time ago. But no. You were her licking your wounds while your daughter was being taken!” I shouted. “Where did you go, anyway?”

“When you went down, a big explosion happened in the middle of the village. You were still conscious, and the man who attacked you were gone, so I left to see. Just a few minutes later, they started to withdraw. I couldn’t find you in the smoke,” he said quietly, but I was still raging.

“And now you’re trying to _stop_ me now from going after her instead of _helping_ me!”

“It will be a suicide mission!” He snapped.

“I had no problem finishing off two dozen of _your_ men!” I shouted. I stepped closer to him, my finger extended towards his chest. “You try to stop me from getting her, and you will see just exactly how good of a teacher were you.” I didn’t let him answer, I resumed to fly myself out of the valley.


	22. Chapter 22

I couldn’t hold it long because it started to get cold up among the clouds, but I managed to get out of the mountains. I continued to follow them on foot with the winds guiding me.

[cont.]


End file.
